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Years of playing cricket in the backyard with her cousins has finally paid off for one young Bermudian.

Shuntae Todd, 19, is one of three females from Bermuda's national women's cricket team chosen to attend the International Cricket Council Americas 2008 academy and training camp in Trinidad and Tobago this weekend.

"I'm very excited," Todd said. "Getting to know the other players there and seeing how serious they are is very inspiring."

She will be joined by her team-mates Stacy Babb, 25, and Rickelle Smith, 22, and national team manager Cinda Bobb. Reuna Richardson was originally chosen to attend the academy but was unable to go due to school commitments.

Ms. Bobb, who was the former captain for St. Vincent's national women's team as well as the women's national team manager for the West Indies and the St. Vincent, will be assessing the ladies who are on trial for the Americas team. That squad will then go on to compete in the West Indies Cricket Board under-19 tournament. That squad is allowed to have players who are over 19.

"Coming out of the World Cup qualifier I have seen a great improvement in the girls and I am very excited because we have these three talented players," Ms. Bobb said. "I want to congratulate the Bermuda Cricket Board for their latest involvement in spreading the message of women's cricket in Bermuda."

The team is keen to perpetuate this message, saying that cricket is "not just a sport for the boys."

"It's definitely not just for men to play," said Babb, who broke her thumb in February's game against South Africa. "It's the basis for all sports: once you let the women play, we show them how it's done!"

The academy will take place at the Sir Frank Worrell Development Centre in Trinidad and Tobago from May 18 until May 29 and will be run by Ann Browne-John, an ICC Women's Committee representative and former West Indies Captain. The women will have 10 days of intensive training, education and game situations.

President of the Bermuda Cricket Board, Reginald Pearman, said: "We are very pleased that Bermuda is able to send three promising young cricketers to the ICC Americas region academy and training camp. The camp will provide an excellent opportunity for them to focus on all areas of their game, whilst, at the same time mixing with other players from around the region."

Despite their defeat in the ICC World Cup Qualifiers earlier this year (where the ladies team lost 85 to 281 to Holland and were all out for the score of 13 against South Africa) the ladies aren't letting that get them down.

"It didn't really discourage us," says Smith. "It was our first major tournament and we hadn't had much previous experience. But we have definitely improved since then."

The three cricketers say they have learned that one of the most important tactics has nothing to do with either bat or wicket.

"Mental preparation is key," says Babb. "You can't allow what the other team is saying to get inside your head otherwise it will just take you off your game."[[In-content Ad]]

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