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It's not Bermuda's strongest Under-19 team ever, but Malachi Jones is confident that they'll do well as they take on some of the world's best youth cricket squads in the Sir Garfield Sobers Schools Tournament in Barbados.

Jones will be the squad's vice-captain while Rodney Trott will skipper the 14-man side.

Trott said the team's main goal is to qualify for the Under-19 World Cup in Malaysia in 2008. Playing as a team in the domestic league helped them, he says. The team will be playing in a qualifying tournament for the World Cup in Toronto, Canada in August.

The skipper added that no team had an easy time past them.

"When they said they were putting us in the league, I was kind of iffy about it, but it's been a good thing."

Trott said they had to earn their respect in the league as in the first few games they were looked down upon as "youngsters" who "won't be up to the challenge... but since then a lot of teams have said we're the team to watch out for because we're younger and fitter."

Jones said this isn't the best Under-19 team they've sent to the Sobers Tournament.

In the past "we've had a squad that was full of stars, but we haven't really had that team gel. This team isn't the strongest we've had in recent years, but I feel it has a better togetherness and [players have] a better understanding of their roles within the team.

Jones is confident: "We'll produce the goods when we're down in Barbados because the guys have their heads down and trained hard. They've put in the hard work. I feel that each player knows his role in the team and is ready to do what it takes to produce the goods for the team. I feel the team is going to be very successful."

Arnold Manders, director of cricket development, agreed that the squad is well prepared.

"The boys have been training pretty hard since January. They didn't even touch a bat or a ball in the first month."

Manders said the team has worked on its cardiovascular fitness to make sure they were in shape for the rigours of the tournament.

"Playing in the league this year has assisted us with our progress in qualifying for the Junior World Cup. The boys have been playing together now for two months, whereas before, when went to the Sir Garfield Sobers Tournament, they hadn't played a match together. It took two or three matches to start gelling and understanding their roles."

Manders added the players know their roles and what's expected of them.

"I expect us to gel from the first match on. Hopefully this will prepare us even better when we go to Toronto qualify for the Junior World Cup."

Jones said he did not feel any added pressure because he was part of the senior squad that participated in the World Cup earlier this year.

"I feel the public and the team-mates are looking for me and Rodney to pull most of the weight with the bat and the ball."

But he added that the squad has a bonus with the addition of Lamar Richardson.

"I feel the team has been missing that key player in the lower order to chip with the bat when we most need it and I feel that we've found that player with Lamar. He's really been producing with the bat. He's been sticking to the wicket, picking up ones and twos. Having him in the lower order has helped to stabilize and create a better balance with the bat from top to the bottom."[[In-content Ad]]

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