Bermuda prepares for Twenty20 regional qualifier

FRIDAY, JULY 15: Developing cricket nations across the globe will bid to qualify for next year’s ICC World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka.

Only two spots have been allocated in the tournament for non-playing Test countries such as Bermuda.

Regional qualifiers for ICC Associate/Affiliate teams will take place within the Asian, Africa, Americas, Europe and East Asia–Pacific regions.

Two teams from the Americas, Africa and Europe, three from Asia and one from East Asia-Pacific will advance to next year’s World Twenty20 global qualifiers to be held in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). They will be joined by the six-Associate/Affiliate countries with ODI status (Afghanistan, Canada, Ireland, Kenya, Netherlands and Scotland) who have automatically qualified for this event.

Even though top Associates Canada are assured of competing in World Twenty20 global qualifiers, they will still take part in next week’s Americas regional qualifiers in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

The Americas World Twenty20 qualifiers will also comprise of Argentina, Suriname, Cayman Islands, USA and Bermuda who depart for Florida on Sunday. The eventual top two teams will advance to next year’s global qualifiers in UAE that will see 16 countries compete for the right to join the ten ICC Full Members in Sri Lanka in 2012.

All matches are to be played at Central Broward Regional Park.

Local ICC certified umpires Roger Dill and Stephen Douglas have been chosen among the eight umpires who will stand in the middle during the seven-day tournament.

Tournament schedule: Bermuda v Argentina (July 18); Bermuda v Suriname (July 19), Bermuda v Canada (July 20), Bermuda v Cayman Islands (July 22), Bermuda v USA (July 23).