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Cricket bosses have laid down the law to national squad players insisting that playing for Bermuda is now a 'full-time' job.

Batsman Oronde Bascome was fired last week and several other players are understood to be on probation as the board demands a full-time commitment from its playing staff in return for their salaries.

Cricket Director Arnold Manders said most of the squad were relishing the chance to train full time and were enjoying the intensive daily regime.

But he said the board had been forced to have strong words with some players about their commitment.

"We are trying to get the message through to them that they are employed by the BCB, just like any other job. There are things you can do and things you can't do.

"You can be reprimanded, you can be fired...

"Oronde is a good player but sometimes you have to draw a line and unfortunately that was the case with him. The situation last week (skipping training to watch a football game) was just a part of it. There are a number of issues there. That was the straw that broke the camel's back."

Manders said he could not understand how any young cricketer could not commit to playing for their country when they were getting paid to do so.

"I can't even understand what's going on in their brains. You're getting paid to do something you like. It baffles me. Everybody I've spoken to that played with me would have loved to have the opportunities that these players have got."

Manders confirmed that several other players were on 'probationary contracts' until the end of the month with their future involvement in the programme dependent on attitude, discipline and attendance over the next few weeks.

"We have had some issues. Oronde Bascome is not the only player we've had words with about time-keeping and missing sessions. Most of them are quite young and for some of them this is their first job and they don't know the implications of it so we have to give them a bit of slack.

"I think the message has got through and with the group we have now I don't foresee any further problems."

He said he had been particularly impressed with the attitude of pace-man George O'Brien after he had been reprimanded for playing football last weekend.

"George has assured us he will not be on the football pitch again. He hadn't signed his contract at the time and he wasn't aware that he wasn't supposed to play.

"We've been pretty impressed, actually, with the maturity and commitment he has shown so far.

"The team could really use a fast bowler like him in South Africa. We explained the situation to him and he's working out pretty well."

He said the BCB had imposed a universal football ban on its players to avoid them picking up injury in the run-up to the World Cup qualifer in April.

"We are not going to invest money and have them get injured playing football."

Jacobi added to squad

Manders confirmed that Jacobi Robinson had been added to the playing squad and said the bulk of the players were now contracted until the end of February. The 15-man squad and reserves for the qualifiers will be announced shortly after the players return from the Caribbean with the players signing new contracts at that stage to take them through to the end of April.[[In-content Ad]]

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