National coach Gus Logie admitted his disappointment yesterday at the news that talented offspinning allrounder Delyone Borden had withdrawn from the national squad set to leave for Trinidad this morning.

Borden has been back at home for just over a week since returning from college in Florida and told the Bermuda Cricket Board yesterday that he needs more time to deal with a number of work and personal issues before he can commit himself wholeheartedly to the World Cup campaign.

He has, however, told them that he will be available for Bermuda?s tour to the UK at the end of the month.

It is also understood that he is thinking seriously about putting his education on hold to concentrate solely on cricket for the next ten months.

The absence of Borden is a blow to Logie?s selection plans, given that the St. David?s Islander was a favourite for a starting place because of the variety he offers with the ball and the extra depth he would have given the batting order.

His replacement, Ryan Steede, will bolster the squad?s seam bowling resources ? but it was no accident that the original squad contained three genuine spinners, with the wickets in Trinidad tending to become fast bowlers? graveyards once the shine has gone off the new ball.

Logie, however, was determined to put a brave face on the situation.

?It is obviously a disappointment to have Delyone pulling out at this stage,? he said.

?But one man?s disappointment is another man?s opportunity and I am looking forward to having Ryan in the squad. He had originally made himself unavailable for this tour, but now that Delyone is not travelling I?m glad that he is now coming.

?The wickets in Trinidad do take spin, but there often is quite a bit of swing early on with the new ball so having Ryan available to us is helpful as well.?

Bermuda spend the first five days of their tour based at the Frank Worrell Cricket Centre in Couva ? well over an hour away from the hustle and bustle of Port of Spain ? where they will play a solitary warm-up game against what is expected to be a strong Trinidad Combined Club XI.

They will return to the capital on May 15 in preparation for their first official One Day Internationals against Canada and Zimbabwe at Queen?s Park Oval, the same ground on which the team will ultimately begin their World Cup odyssey.

The best two teams from the group stage proceed to the final on May 20, with Bermuda scheduled to return home the next day to prepare for their UK tour which starts only a week later.

BCB chief executive Neil Speight confirmed yesterday that the rest of the squad is fit and ready to travel, with injury worries Lionel Cann and skipper Janeiro Tucker expected to play a full part.

Cann?s strained groin, which he injured on the slippery artificial surface during the semi-final of the 20-20 World Cricket Classic, has responded well to rest and intensive physiotherapy, as has Tucker?s tendonitis in his left knee.