Irving Romaine’s fellow selectors at Bailey’s Bay paid him the ultimate compliment by including him in their team for tomorrow’s Eastern Counties first round clash with holders Cleveland County.

It was a flattering offer, but one the Bay coach quickly turned down in the best interest of the team. Romaine, 42, has played four games this season when Bay have been short, scoring 43 not out and 32 in his two knocks, but returning to the Counties was not in his plans.

“Everybody had a different team and they all had me in their team but I got out of it,” the former Bermuda captain said. “I’ve had my day, if we were in dire straits yes, I would have played but it is about playing the youngsters and rewarding guys.”

Instead Bay have named one colt, early order batsman Coleridge Durham, in their team for the match at St David’s where Rodney Trott will captain the team for the first time in the Eastern Counties. Trott replaced Stephen Outerbridge as captain when he quit the post following Bay’s county clash with Cleveland lat year.

Bay were unable to include youngster Delray Rawlins for his debut as he returned to England this week after captaining Bermuda in the Under-19 World Cup Qualifying tournament. New club players Malachi Jones and Zeko Burgess are also not eligible as they are serving a qualification period, but Romaine still feels Bay have picked a team capable of dethroning the champions.

“We have enough to bowl them out, with Kyle [Hodsoll] opening the bowling and in pretty good form, Burton Outerbridge, Stephen [Outerbridge], Dennico, a left-arm option, and in spin we have ‘Picnic’ [Trott], Tre Manders and Azende Furbert as an off-spinner,” said Romaine.

“We have a decent rounded team and have rewarded players, because if you play in the first round of County Cup and lose, and you haven’t played your league players, then they probably won’t show up for the rest of the season.”

Last year Bay’s bid to dethrone new champions Cleveland was hit by the weather, with Bay 98 for three with 17.3 overs left in their chase of Cleveland’s 228 for nine when the rain ended the second round contest. Forecast is for rain again on Saturday.

“Last year we were on our way and the rain came down and this year the Weather Channel says there could be rain on Friday and Saturday,” said Romaine. “If it happens, it happens, we have no control over the weather.”

Bay’s batting is solid with the likes of Terryn Fray, Manders, Durham, Stephen Outerbridge, Furbert and Rodney Trott key players in that department. Furbert or Durham will open the batting with Manders, who scored 56 not out last year against Cleveland.

“They should get the bulk of the runs, nobody has really produced a century this season but hopefully they’ll come good on the day,” said the coach.

“Everybody is looking forward to it and at Bay and it won’t be the end of our programme if we don’t win county cup. We have bigger things in store.”

Romaine has left the door open, however, for one final appearance in the 100-year-old competition if Bay win tomorrow.

“There is still an option for me to play,” he said. “If we win and guys start going back to school I will probably have to play in the next round.

“I don’t think my body can hold up to playing every single week. I can still produce but will it restrict a youngster who will only get better by playing.”