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As one well-known caller to the popular 'Now your talking' chat show with host Shirley Dill stated on Sunday morning, it was really heart-wrenching to learn that promising pace bowler George O'Brien had to be axed from the national cricket team. In my opinion George is a young man with a rare talent as far as Bermuda cricket is concerned, he has the ability to bowl fast and more importantly the potential to bowl even faster.

George who up to this point has been basically bowling off raw talent is far from being the finished article although there is no doubt that he has been learning fast. No bowler can have the success that he has had in the short time he has represented the country at international level without some knowledge of the game. He will not be easy to replace, as most followers of the game understand fast bowlers are born not made in other words you either have it or you don't and quite frankly I don't see any readily available replacements.

I must confess his exclusion hits me particularly hard, as along with former St. George's Cup match captain Calvin 'Bummy' Symonds and local cricket pundit Michael Jean-Jacques I publicly called for his inclusion into the national side. However, I realize as national coach Gus Logie pointed out last week, that there are certain standards that have to be met and if players are unwilling or unable to meet those standards than unfortunately they have to go.

As a Bermuda fan, it is really frustrating when for one reason or another our best players are not involved with the national squad, first there was Glenn Blakeney, then Charlie Marshall and now George O'Brien. When one considers that we only have around 200 cricketers to choose from in the first place this problem becomes even more acute.

Bermuda Masters

off to Antigua

A powerful Bermuda Masters cricket team under the captaincy of former national team all-rounder Lionel Thomas will depart for Antigua Saturday to participate in the second annual Antigua Independence cricket festival. The event is a thirty over a side competition, which is being hosted by the Antigua and Barbuda Sports Tourism Alliance as part of the country's Independence Silver Jubilee Celebrations.

It involves several overseas teams including sides from England, New York and St. Croix.

Local cricket historian Warrington 'Soup' Zuill will manage the Bermuda team with the assistance of former Southampton pace bowler Randy Raynor.

Squad: Lionel Thomas (captain), Andre Manders (vice-captain), Noel Gibbons, Ricky Hill, Treadwell Gibbons, Clevie Wade, Hoyt Zuill, Charlie Marshall, Ricky Brangman, Ken Pitcher, George Cannonier, Gerald Bean, Leroy Wilson and James Swan.

Zuill revealed that the squad has been in training for six weeks, are determined to give a good account of themselves and their aimis to win the tournament.[[In-content Ad]]

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