---

Now that Bermuda's World Cup campaign has come to an end several questions are being asked.

Where do we go from here? What steps do we take to ensure that we qualify for the next World Cup? How do we prepare so that we can give a better account of ourselves and be more competitive in 2011?

Like most local fans I believe the time has come to invest in the youth, particularly Bermuda's under-19 national cricket squad who are currently preparing for their own youth World Cup qualifiers.

If they can be drilled into a fit, competitive and well-disciplined unit, along the lines of Darren Lewis's successful 1985 International Youth Tournament champions, then in two years we will have built the foundation for a very good senior national squad.

That is why I believe it is imperative that national team coach Gus Logie have a direct role in preparing this team.

If history is anything to go by, it takes time for associate cricketing nations to progress from playing at the lower level to genuinely competing on the big stage.

In fact, Bangladesh took three years to secure their first one-day international win, thus it makes good sense for Bermuda to invest in the youngsters because they have the time to develop.

I believe we should follow the example of Bangladesh and Zimbabwe who have decided to invest in relatively young teams, decisions that in the next few years should begin to pay huge dividends.

On another note, domestic cricket, which is crucial to any country's cricketing fortunes, has unfortunately been neglected for far too long on this island and it is obvious that its steady deterioration over the years has had a detrimental affect on the national programme.

One need only look at the leading Test playing nations to realize that strong Test teams usually have strong domestic programmes, Australia, for instance, currently have State sides such as New South Wales who regularly defeat visiting Test teams.

The West Indies in their heyday were composed of nations who in their own right had very strong and competitive cricket teams.

Anyone who has watched local cricket for the last thirty years can attest to the decline in the standard of play at club level.

This is not to say that Bermuda no longer produces talented players - Malachi and O.J. demonstrated at the World Cup that it does, but in all honesty the level of play in our local leagues today desperately needs to be improved.

This I believe can happen and I would like to suggest that the Bermuda Cricket Board take the following steps in order to make it so:

* Put in place a committee whose primary responsibility will be the revitalization and strengthening of the domestic game.

* Ensure that each and every club side are assigned a certified coach and pay that coach for his services.

* Make it mandatory that all club coaches meet twice a month with national team coach Gus Logie to discuss coaching concerns and receive guidance.

I don't profess to know all the answers but I have no doubt that if the BCB act on these recommendations our domestic game will improve.

[[In-content Ad]]

---