Black bats unduly dominated Bermuda?s final day of preparation for their mouthwatering clash with Jamaica tonight in the Stanford 20-20 tournament.

Rumours, suspicious behaviour, misinformation and finally a last-minute change of equipment ensured that Gus Logie?s men will take on Chris Gayle and his big-hitting friends with a positive mindset and no material disadvantage.

Although the team will not be selected until later today, at least the players know which bats they will use for the clash with the Caribbean powerhouse which they enter as firm underdogs.

Texan billionaire Allen Stanford, who has pumped $28 million into the tournament, originally provided bats for every competing player in his month-long event.

But there were early complaints from some quarters as a couple of bats broke in the opening matches and the Bermuda players had complained that the ?dead? equipment was limiting their ability to deliver the big hit in training.

It is understood Bermuda Cricket Board sought clarification on the use of equipment and were told that they had to use the official bats and thus set off for Antigua with the correct equipment.

But Logie?s players ? who had seen enormous hits in the recent televised games ? were convinced that players from some nations had instead been using different bats, simply covered with the required branding and in the right colour.

This suspicion was revealed when during their second of four training sessions a Montserrat player came over to borrow some water while carrying his bat.

The players were looking at it with him when photographer Tamell Simons took a candid photo at which point the player stormed off complaining about ?you media people?.

It is at this point that Logie and the Bermuda contingent began looking into the bat situation and it was revealed organisers had now allowed the use of different bats, correctly branded.

The coach disappeared during the players? rest hours in the middle of the day and returned with six or seven new bats ready to use.

At a long net session at the Antigua Recreation Ground ? scene of Brian Lara?s record-breaking knocks ? some of the players broke in the new bats and the matter was laid to rest with the players happy and any nagging thoughts of a disadvantage removed.

Having begun the day at 6 a.m. with a beach training session followed by drills on a field near the hotel and then the nets at the ARG, Bermuda headed to the Stanford Cricket Ground for a look around the venue for tonight?s battle, although the planned fielding session under lights was abandoned due to the ongoing pitch preparation.

The Jamaicans, who have a batting-heavy line-up despite Test star Ricardo Powell?s decision to shun his country of birth and represent Trinidad instead, looked very relaxed as they sauntered around the outfield at the hugely impressive stadium and even ventured on for a light stretching session.

The 20-over contest, in which man of the match will win $25,000 and ?play of the match? $10,000, begins at 8.00 tonight with the winners due to play the winners of Guyana and Montserrat next Friday.

Win or lose, Bermuda fly out of Antigua at 6 a.m. tomorrow.