Bermuda could be involved in an annual four-team cricket tournament in Barbados, if such a suggestion by the Caribbean's most respected cricket commentator and writer, Tony Cozier, is pursued.

Cozier, the editor of the Caribbean Cricket Quarterly and who also writes a column for the Sunday Sun newspaper, wrote in a recent column how Bermuda and both the NatWest and Benson and Hedges Cup champions from England could be involved in an annual limited overs tournament as a boost to that island's tourism industry.

Having observed the increasing growing number of Bermudians who travel to Barbados every year for Test matches, Cozier sees the great potential of tourism dollars from Bermuda.

"Barbados, it would seem to me, is ideally placed to stage its own annual limited overs tournament involving the NatWest and Benson and Hedges Cup champions from England, Bermuda and Barbados, over a two-week period at a specific time every year,'' Cozier wrote in his June 20 Cozier on Cricket column.

"Because of the timing of international tours, the end of September to early October would be the best, if not the only, available dates, a slow time in tourism. Given proper promotion, it would attract supporters of the English county teams and Bermudians by the score.

"With sponsorship, it should be self-sustained. And it would be an event for Barbadian fans and players to look forward to as well, must as the hockey fraternity has come to regard the highly successful Banks International Festival.'' When contacted yesterday in Barbados, Cozier admitted he had not received any feedback to the article. "Somebody should activate it, either the tourist authorities or the BCA (Barbados Cricket Association),'' said Cozier.

"Barbados could handle it as an annual event.'' Bermuda Cricket Board of Control president Ed Bailey welcomed the idea of such a tournament. "The board is always seeking any opportunity to play in international competitions,'' said Bailey.

"It would be a positive step. From a cricketing point of view it is something the board would be more than happy to participate in.'' In the same article, which appeared under the headline Cricket tourism not being exploited , Cozier mentioned how the scheduling of next year's fourth Test between the West Indies and England from April 8-13 is likely to cause serious accomodation problems for the many Bermudians and Brits planning to travel to the island.

"The fact is that April 8 is the Friday after Easter and a time when the hotels are guaranteed almost 100 per cent occupancy,'' Cozier wrote.

"In other words, there will be little room at the inn for the thousands of Brits who have poured in for the Kensington Test since package holidays came into vogue in the late 1970s -- not to mention the invasion from Bermuda, North America and the rest of the Caribbean that helped fill the ground to overflowing during the recent Pakistan Test.'' That news, no doubt, will cause some panic here in Bermuda as groups are already planning to travel to the West Indies next year.

ROLAND HOLDER -- The Barbados captain, right, would lead his team if four-team tournament came to fruition.