HE might still be Olin Jones' bye but Malachi Jones stands to make his own name for himself in the coming years. Father hasn't spent much time telling his teenage son Malachi what a big honour it would be to represent his country in the Cricket World Cup...the veteran Southampton Rangers allrounder only wishes he was a few years younger himself. Father and son are teammates in their club team, and while Olin, now 42, also represented Bermuda at the international level, his 17-year-old son stands to achieve even more on the international stage. If he plays a match in the West Indies next month, Malachi will become the second youngest player behind Sudath Pasqual of Sri Lanka to play in the tournament. Pasqual was 17 and 238 days when he made his One Day International debut for Sri Lanka in the 1979 World Cup match against New Zealand. His second and last ODI for his country was a week later in the same tournament against India.

The only other 17-year-old to play in the World Cup was Javed Miandad of Pakistan while Sachin Tendulkar, one of India's greatest ever players, was 18 when he played in the World Cup. Tendulkar is one of the stars the Bermuda players will look forward to taking on in Trinidad next month and if Jones gets to play his name will forever be etched in the record books. “I’m very proud, who wouldn’t be, to have a son that young getting that opportunity,” said Olin yesterday. “It’s a major opportunity and as far as coping, he’s a down to earth type of guy anyway and has nothing to lose. He should just go down there and play cricket and enjoy himself. I’m sure it will be overwhelming at times, especially going up against the teams they will be playing.”Jones admits he hasn’t bombarded his son with advice, saying: “I haven’t had to give him much advice, he pays attention, learns and has good people around him. He’s learned a wealth of cricket knowledge over the past year or so, he’s travelled a lot, been around top-shelf cricketers and I’m sure he’s picked up a lot.

“Youth just go out there and play, they don’t put too much pressure on themselves. He tries to stay as relaxed as possible, which is a good thing.”

Malachi wasn’t a part of the ICC Squad which qualified for the World Cup 18 months ago in Ireland, but a late injury to Ryan Steede and the removal of George O’Brien from the national programme created an opportunity for him just a few months ago.

The 17-year-old Berkeley student will have to juggle school assignments on his laptop with his cricket responsibilities in Trinidad when Bermuda makes their debut in cricket’s biggest showpiece. As this is his graduating year, he will have more things to worry about than just cricket.

“He’s still keeping up with his work while he’s abroad,’ said his father. “If he has to repeat a year or do extra class then that’s what he’ll have to do. Sometimes it’s good for students to repeat a year.

“On top of that he will have family members in Trinidad to support him and the team. If he isn’t feeling the pressure just yet, he will as the tournament nears and the reality sinks in.

“There will always be pressure and everybody gets nerves, especially on a big stage like this,” said Olin from his experience of playing in Cup Match for Somerset and for his country.

“Hopefully in the long run this will benefit Bermuda and the clubs. At this stage in Bermuda’s cricket it is time to push the youngsters, especially with the opportunities and the money we’re putting into it. I think it is too bad we couldn’t take more players, a squad of about 20 guys with more young guys.”

Olin sees the next Bermuda team being built around the likes of his son Malachi, Delyone Borden, Stefan Kelly, OJ Pitcher and Stephen Outerbridge, all of whom will gain tremendously from the World Cup experience.

‘I don’t know what to say about O’Brien, he was definitely given the opportunity,” said Jones.

“He is definitely one of our better strike bowlers, without a doubt. Guys have to get their minds in tune, the (Bermuda Cricket) Board is trying to work with them.”

The older Jones grabbed his own opportunity in 1986 when he made his ICC Trophy debut in England in a Bermuda team that included the likes of John Tucker, Winston Reid, Noel Gibbons, Wendell Smith, Clevie Wade, Allan Douglas, captain Arnold Manders, Charlie Marshall, Andre Manders, Ricky Hill, Stevie Lightbourne, Terry Burgess, Anthony Edwards and Gary Brangman. Despite being the youngest member of the squad, Jones topped the batting averages, scoring 111 in five innings as his average of 55.50 was boosted by three not outs in his five knocks.

“If I had years left I would snatch these opportunities,” Olin said.

“Guys played for Bermuda with this goal in mind, this is the ultimate. As a youngster this has got to be a good time to be around cricket, it’s got to be exciting.”

Father is so proud of teenage son