Bermuda national cricket team all-rounder OJ Pitcher is now in a race against the clock to recover from a bothersome groin injury that put paid earlier this week to the youngster’s World Cricket League plans in Kenya.

The 27-year-old St.David’s cricketer injured himself during the national team’s training camp in Trinidad and Tobago earlier this month, sustaining the injury while diving for a ball in the covers.

“I dived for the ball which hit my hand and slowed down a bit. But as soon as I got up to push off I felt a sharp pain,” Pitcher explained.

“The physiotherapist told me a groin strain takes at least two weeks to heal and so when I was told that, I realised I might not make the trip to Kenya. But I was still determined to come back and get some treatment and test it out.”

Pitcher admitted being omitted from the squad at the 11th hour has proven a bitter pill to swallow — especially with World Cup spots at a premium.

Southampton Rangers’ wicketkeeper-batsman Kwame Tucker was given the nod to replace the injured Pitcher, who added: “In the back of my mind I was thinking to myself this (injury) is going to pretty much cost me my spot ( in the team). And when I first found out I was upset and kind of depressed.

“I just have to get the proper treatment so that it heals properly and I can return to the team 100 percent fit.”

Pitcher enjoyed a memorable 2006 season in domestic and international cricket last summer — a year after helping Bermuda qualify for the 2007 World Cup at the ICC Trophy in Ireland.

The Valencia Community College student, who took a sabbatical to concentrate solely on Bermuda’s World Cup cause, accompanied the team on various tours last year, while during the 2006 Cup Match Classic in the West End, Pitcher scored 98 runs in a record-breaking fifth-wicket partnership with Charlie Marshall.

It was that kind of form national coach Gus Logie was looking forward to in Kenya. Pitcher now hopes to be included in Bermuda’s XI for the opening match of their triangular series with Bangladesh and Canada against the former in Antigua on February 25.

“That’s my main priority right now,” he added.

“I’m definitely hoping to get back in the team as soon as possible and hopefully I’ll be ready.”

The St.George’s Cup Match star batsman has now been put under the supervision of a therapist who will help get him back up and running.

“I’ve been assigned to another physiotherapist who I must go to visit every day,” Pitcher said.

Pitcher is one of three St.David’s Islanders currently on Bermuda’s national team — Delyone Borden and Arthur Pitcher being the others.

“Everybody knows how close Delyone and I are. We’ve been on many tours together,” he said.

“The first thing he said when he found out I wasn’t going to Kenya was ‘I guess I will have to find another room-mate’.

“But it’s always good to have people you are close with there with you. And to actually have another family member (Arthur) come into the team makes me feel even more comfortable settling into your game.”

As for Bermuda’s chances of success in Kenya, Pitcher said: “If we play to our potential we should at least finish among the top two. I think our chances are very good and if you look at past results, we struggled in some of the practice matches but when it came to the big tournaments we gelled and everything came together.

“I’m always confident in my team.”

The primary objective of the World Cricket League is to give regular international one-day cricket opportunities to the top 18 non-Test countries.

This month’s tournament in Nairobi involves the best six Associates members — Kenya plus the top five finishers at the 2005 ICC Trophy who were Scotland, Ireland, Canada, Bermuda and the Netherlands.

All World Cricket League matches will carry full ODI status, with the top two teams from the tournament advancing to September’s inaugural ICC Twenty20 World Championships in South Africa.

Bermuda Cricket Board yesterday announced they will be providing live ball-by-ball coverage of all of Bermuda’s World Cricket League matches in Kenya at www.cricket.bm

Bermuda departed for Kenya last night, and are scheduled to play against Uganda on Saturday in a warm-up match ahead of Monday’s opening clash with host country Kenya.

Bermuda squad: Irving Romaine (capt), Stefan Kelly, Stephen Outerbridge, Dean Minors, Clay Smith, David Hemp, Lionel Cann, Arthur Pitcher jr, Kevin Hurdle, Delyone Borden, Saleem Mukuddem, Kwame Tucker, Janeiro Tucker, Dwayne Leverock, Malachi Jones,

Tour schedule:29 January - Bermuda v Kenya

31 January - Bermuda v Ireland

2 February - Bermuda v Canada

4 February - Bermuda v Holland

5 February - Bermuda v Scotland