January 30, 2013 at 5:54 p.m.
Bermuda's World Cup build-up will start in Australia
Six national team members will train in Brisbane
Bermuda's World Cup build-up will start in Australia
National coach Gus Logie said the core of his side would be travelling to the Sports Gateway Academy in Brisbane later this month for an intensive six-week programme.
The group - likely to include spinners Rodney Trott and Tamauri Tucker, opener Oronde Bascome and possibly skipper Irving Romaine - will be officially announced in the next couple of weeks.
The likes of Stephen Outerbridge, Jekon Edness and Stefan Kelly are not eligible as they are heading back to University in the U.K.
Logie said the idea was to get players who had only been exposed to cricket in Bermuda competing in a professional, competitive environment.
And he hopes some of the Aussie winning mentality will rub off on his young charges.
"It will be a chance to improve their performances in a different environment, a different system. Australia has proven beyond a doubt to be at the top of the game in terms of facilities, coaching, lifestyle, mental approach and discipline.
"I think they have an attitude that says 'excellence is the only way to go'.
"If we can send six guys and they can get that attitude for six weeks in Australia and they bring it back here and it rubs off on six more then it will have been worth it."
He said it would be good for Bermuda's younger players to be in an environment where everyone was competing and struggling to be the best.
They will be working alongside young cricketers from Pakistan, India, New Zealand, South Africa and Scotland and playing matches against local state sides.
"We have a pretty busy schedule right up to the qualifying tournament and we need to make sure our core group is active.
"Quite a few of them are going back to school but those that aren't need to be training regularly in the right environment."
The Aussie academy players will be back in time for Bermuda's next international engagement - the defence of their ICC America's Championship in Florida in November.
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