just yet, says former Bermuda captain Colin Blades.

As the local cricket scene prepares for an action-packed three-game weekend, with Steede captain in all three matches, Blades thinks the talented young Devonshire Rec. star should be allowed to concentrate on his batting and settling into the team.

Blades feels the captaincy should be given back to Arnold Manders who at least has some ICC experience.

"There is no way that Arnold shouldn't be captain,'' said Blades yesterday.

"He runs Western Stars and whether you like it or not when he's on the field he is running the team.

"Steede is there for the future and should be allowed to bat three or four and concentrate on making runs. There is no point burdening him with the captaincy. Let him concentrate on doing what he has to do as a batsman. That's where his worth to the team is.'' Steede is being strongly considered as the man to lead the team in Kenya next year in what will be his first taste of ICC competition.

Picking him to captain the President's XI today, the national team tomorrow at Somerset Cricket Club and a Select team on Monday back at St. David's gives the selectors the opportunity to assess his leadership qualities closely, as he missed the two Pakistan matches because of injury.

With a Somerset Cup Match select and the national team providing the opposition for the tourists in their final two matches next weekend, there is a strong chance that Steede will play in five of the six matches, four as captain.

The make-up of the teams for the first three matches suggests the board is still some way from finding the right formula with a number of places still to be decided.

Opening batsman Ricky Hill was off the Island for the Pakistan matches and has not been able to regain his place in the team because of a loss of form. It is a move that surprises Blades.

"He's one of our top bats and has the experience,'' the former captain said.

"Form is temporary but class is permanent. I still think he's the best opening batsman in the country.'' Hill will get the chance to prove that when he opens the innings with another discard Dexter Smith today at Lord's.

There has been plenty of chopping and changing going on with Bruce Perinchief coming into the team as the specialist left-arm spinner. He will play both today and tomorrow.

Dropped from the team are Stevie Lightbourne, Roger Trott, Perry Maybury and Anthony Edwards as batsman Clay Smith returns along with Steede and the pair will open the batting.

Cleveland's young fast bowler Diallo Sharrieff will share the new ball with Terry Burgess.

The board selectors continue their search for the right formula for next year's ICC Trophy in Kenya -- and there could not be a tougher test for the players than the upcoming matches against the West Indies Board Select.

Certainly the West Indies Select, containing some of the brightest young Test prospects in the region, will take the upcoming matches very seriously and by the end of the tour the Bermuda selectors should know the players from which they want to continue working with.

"From what I've seen the players are physically fit but the mental preparation is still not good,'' said Blades, captain of the 1982 team who lost to Zimbabwe in the finals.

"There doesn't seem to be any planning going on. For example, a team makes 220 runs and the team batting second has 300 balls to get the runs but still wants to make them in one over.'' Blades, who was one of Barbados' brightest batting prospects in the 1960s and actually went on to represent them in the Shell Shield on a couple of occasions before emigrating to Bermuda in 1970, is anxious to have a look at the new talent in the West Indies, all of whom have Test aspirations.

He will also renew the long-time friendship he has shared with manager Charlie Griffith who is a godfather to his daughter.

"These guys are looking to break into the strongest side in the world,'' he said. "I'm sure they'll play hard because if I know my friend Charlie he is not going to accept anything less than their best.'' All the matches are 50 overs and start at 11 a.m.

ALBERT STEEDE -- Is the Bermuda captaincy too much of a burden? Former skipper Colin Blades thinks so and would like to see Arnold Manders, right, back in charge.