DeFreitas, both overlooked for their country's winter tours, will be the two guest players for this year's benefit match at Lord's on September 28.

Trinidadian Simmons, here last year when Clarence Parfitt was honoured, yesterday collected career best figures of 6-14 as Leicestershire took a clear edge over Durham to step up their bid for the English County championship (see story this page).

He has agreed to return for this year's benefit when `Chummy' Hayward, Mackie Simmons and Jim Woolridge will be recognised for their contribution to cricket.

The day will again begin with a 20-overs match at 10.00 a.m. involving past players. Captains will be Calvin (Bummy) Symonds and Randy Horton. At the completion, presentations will be made to Hayward, Simmons and Woolridge.

The second game of the day will be the feature match and will be a 40-overs affair with both Simmons and DeFreitas taking part. The teams will be captained by Graham Fox and Dexter Basden.

Simmons scored a half century in last year's match and proved popular with both players and spectators.

He made his Test debut in 1988 in Madras, failing to reach 50 in his next eight innings. In 93 one-day internationals to the end of the 1994 tour of India, Simmons had scored 2,577 runs at an average of 34.72 and taken 40 wickets with his medium pacers.

DeFreitas is also originally from the West Indies, having been born in Dominica 30 years ago before emigrating to England with his parents in 1975.

England is now his adopted country and he made his Test debut for them as a 20-year-old in Brisbane, taking five wickets and scoring 40 runs.

Like Simmons, DeFreitas has been in and out of the Test team and is overlooked for the winter tour to Zimbabwe and New Zealand. He was named one of Wisden's Five Cricketers of the Year in 1991.

Simmons will arrive in Bermuda on September 24 and DeFreitas two days later. A cocktail party, to which the public is invited, will be held at the Police Club on Friday, September 27.

In addition, arrangements are being made to have both players speak at high school assemblies. Both are also interested in coaching in Bermuda and will be talking to BCBC officials.

Teams for the match are as follows: Fox's Select: G.Fox (capt), R.Hill, T.Gibbons, N.Gibbons, C.Wade, D.Hollis, Den.Trott, H.Bascome, B.Gibbons, D.Hurdle.

Basden's Select: D.Basden (capt), D.Smith,D.Archer, L.Cann, R.Woolridge, E.Foggo, J.Pace, S.Robinson, Anth. Manders, C.Hill. Reserves for both teams: I.Romaine, C.Scotland, J.Outerbridge, F.Thorne, G.Williams.