Wendell Smith says Kevin Hurdle would be an excellent signing for St David’s if the Bermuda Cricket Board approves the loan move of the Flatts pace bowler to the league champions. Hurdle is seeking a loan move to St David’s in the hopes of playing in the Premier Division rather than in the First Division with Flatts. He has trained with St David’s for the last two weeks and awaits clearance from the Board to play.

“We would love to have it sorted by the end of the week,” Smith, the St David’s coach, stated yesterday.

“He would be an excellent addition, I have no problem saying that. The thing that he brings with him is a very high work ethic. He loves to train and loves the challenge of lots of physical. He’s had three sessions with us.

“When I first heard he was interested, I was more pleased for our programme because when he brings his high standard of training that has a positive influence on the other guys who bring their A game to training.”

Smith still rates Hurdle, 37, as one of the top fast bowlers on the Island and says the move would certainly help his national team aspirations. It would leave St David’s with an abundance of seam bowlers with Hurdle joining the likes of George O’Brien, Justin Pitcher, Rudell Pitcher and the returning Angelo Cannonier.

“I don’t have any qualms about our bowling and fielding,” said Smith, noting that Hurdle is also a capable late order batsman, as was shown in the 2011 Cup Match when he and Joshua Gilbert added 53 for the last wicket in Somerset’s second innings. “

“His role in our team will obviously to take early wickets, and he’s an excellent fielder too, lean and fit. I’ve seen three first class bowling performances by young Bermudian fast bowlers, his and Malachi Jones’s in 2011 up in Somerset in a 20/20 match against the MCC when they were brilliant. The MCC batsmen hardly touched the ball.

“The other two were George O’Brien in Cup Match in St George’s when St George’s had to defend 126 and he had a five or six wicket haul. The other was Stefan Kelly a couple of years ago in St George’s when he single-handedly led the St George’s bowling attack.”

Smith has no doubt Hurdle can still be a national team player. “From what I saw last week Thursday [in training] he definitely does ... he was flying,” said the coach.

“It’s nothing new when guys want to play at a club where they will get recognised. I hope it positively impacts some of our players in wanting to play for Bermuda again.

“We have a couple of very good players who haven’t played for Bermuda recently, like Delyone Borden, like OJ Pitcher. I would like to believe if they are having good seasons that they, like him, would want to play for Bermuda again.”