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It is nothing short of a travesty that Bermuda's loyal cricket fans have once again been denied the opportunity to see their World Cup bound national team perform on local soil. In what can only be interpreted as a 'bizarre decision' by local cricket administrators Clico Preysal Sports Club did not play one game against our national team during their five-match tour of the island.

A couple of matches against what could rather 'loosely' be referred to as a national select containing three regular national team members were played last week Tuesday and Wednesday but that was a 'far cry' from playing the national team.

In fact, Bermuda's national team have not played a proper cricket game, by which I mean 50 over or first class match, in front of their home supporters for approximately two years.

This is outrageous when one considers that the hard working taxpayer has contributed a 'whopping' eleven million dollars towards this world cup campaign and the future development of the sport.

It also boggles the mind that with less than six months to go before the World Cup we did not take the opportunity to ensure that our national team players get some serious batting and bowling practice against players like West Indian pace bowler Ravi Rampaul, wicketkeeper Dinesh Ramdin, Trinidad national team player Shazan Babwah and promising medium pacer Keegan Roy.

In my opinion at least three of those matches should have been 50 over games against Bermuda's national squad, with the other two being used to have a look at 'fringe players' who might be called upon in the event we suffer a rash of injuries leading up to next year's World Cup.

To be frank all the talk about fringe players having a last opportunity to impress selectors and make the squad, in my opinion was just that - talk.

If our administrators were serious about giving these players a chance then an A team would have been put in place a long time ago, provided with proper coaching (by Logie) and given one or two tours over the summer.

That in turn would have put pressure on the national squad to raise their standards and we may even have seen one or two of these 'fringe players' make it into the senior squad.

Instead they were invited to play against Clico just prior to the tour, in fact from what I understand one player who featured in several matches had packed his cricket gear away for the winter and was preparing to play football when he received the call.

Despite poor performances by the West Indies over the last ten years the West Indies Cricket Board are still committed to playing in the Caribbean every year, this is done to keep interest alive amongst home supporters who may never get the opportunity to travel abroad to see their team play, why isn't the same done in Bermuda?

Over the next few months there will be appeals to Bermudians to travel to Trinidad next March to support the team but the question I am compelled to ask is why should we, when it seems those responsible for our cricket don't feel the need to provide us with the opportunity to see our side play on home soil?[[In-content Ad]]

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