Bermuda's weakest opponents when the Red Stripe Bowl gets underway in Jamaica this Saturday.

Absent of any West Indies Test players, the Windwards may present Bermuda with their best chance of victory in the week-long cricket tournament.

But Bermuda's national coach Allan Douglas will be reminding his team not to take them lightly when the sides meet at Melbourne Cricket Club in Kingston on Sunday.

Douglas believes that on paper, at least, Bermuda come close to matching their opponents, but he's mindful of the fact that they still handed his squad a loss in the Shell/Sandals competition a year ago.

Unlike Bermuda's other opponents Trinidad and Tobago, who they play on Saturday, and Jamaica (on October 8), the Windwards don't have Test stars such as Brian Lara, Courtney Walsh and Ian Bishop.

The Windwards squad, named last week, includes: Nixon McClean, Casper Davis, Dawnley Joseph, Kenroy Martin, McNeil Morgan, Rawl Lewis, John Sylvester, Dennison Thomas, Vernon Dumas, Roy Marshall, Wayne Phillips, Adam Sanford, Balty Watt and Alton Crafton. Manager is Julian Jack. It was opener Dawnley Joseph who inspired the Windwards to a 37-run victory over Bermuda in Guyana last year.

Charlie Marshall led Bermuda's bowling attack on that occasion with three wickets for 46 runs off 10 overs. Marshall, who was voted man of the match, then spearheaded Bermuda's fightback with an elegant 86.

But Marshall has not been picked this time and Bermuda will have to count on someone else to take up the challenge.

"Although nothing is guaranteed I know from the last result that we can match them. I really feel we are good enough and believe that we will do well again,'' said Douglas.

"But we just cannot go by our last performance. It is important for us to try our hardest to build on that and certainly not take anything for granted.'' Douglas won't admit it, but his squad appears to be severely weakened by the late unavailability of wicketkeeper and opening batsman Roger Trott. Although all-rounder Cleon Scotland is a capable replacement, Trott's wicket-keeping ability will be missed.

ALLAN DOUGLAS