Six opening batsmen and another new wicketkeeper . . . by anyone's standards David Moore's squad for the trip to Canada next month has a slightly strange look about it.

As expected, Malachi Jones gets a recall and Delyone Borden comes back into the national set-up, while the likes of Jason Anderson, Dion Stovell, Kyle Hodsoll and Tamauri Tucker are also included for the tri-series against Canada and West Indies 'A'.

While Anderson and Stovell might more than merit their inclusions, other selections could raise a few eyebrows. However, Moore has had his hand forced by a number of factors that have deprived him of 10 players.

Stephen Outerbridge, Janeiro Tucker, Stefan Kelly and Justin Pitcher are all injured. Irving Romaine, Staphen Dill and Dwayne Leverock have work commitments, OJ Pitcher is away at school, while Jordan DeSilva is being rested.

Added to the absentees are Chris Douglas and Deunte Darrell who have ruled themselves out for a variety of reasons.

Moore wants those who have been selected to make the most of their opportunity.

"I think that's the key isn't it? What I want to do, what I would love to see is the best players playing for Bermuda, and therefore those players that are in form, have performed well in domestic cricket, have been given a chance," he said. "Now it's up to them to take that opportunity."

And Moore doesn't see the loss of several more established members of the national team as negative. Rather it gives him another opportunity to test players, who have been pressing for selection at the highest level.

"Depth in Bermuda cricket means that we are going to perform better at that next level," said Moore. "And what I also want to see is that all those guys who are unavailable because of work and injury, I want them under pressure. I don't want them to think they can walk back into the side.

"Although they are probably good enough to play international cricket, I really want them to be challenged. The best thing for Bermuda cricket is to have blokes pressuring for positions and putting guys under pressure for their positions. I just don't want to have 12 or 13 players (to chose from), I want to have 20 to 25 and if we can see some guys poke their heads up now, then that's what developing Bermuda cricket is all about."

Alongside Anderson, who will keep wicket, and Stovell, Moore has also selected openers David Hemp, Terryn Fray, Chris Foggo, and Fiqre Crockwell. And with his team due to play four 50-over matches during the course of the tour, the Bermuda head coach will have plenty of opportunity to see various partnerships in action.

While Jones and Borden are the only recognised middle-order batsmen in the 15-man squad, that doesn't concern Moore. The Australian is of the firm belief that national team batsmen should all be batting in the top three domestically.

"My thoughts are, and if you look through international teams, the guys that bat top six internationally, normally bat in the top three for their state or their county or their province.

"The fact that these guys are all opening batsmen is fantastic, because we know that they can play the new ball, and then it's up to them to play spin as well.

"You've got to be able to play both fast bowlers and spin bowlers to be able to play at the top level, and I don't think that bringing out a batsman from domestic cricket, batting at six, and asking him to bat in international cricket at six is the same thing.

"I really would like, and I know it doesn't happen, but I would really like to see all our international batsmen batting in the top four for their clubs, for sure."

Squad: D Hemp, J Anderson, D Borden, F Crockwell, D Stovell, C Foggo, T Fray, K Tucker, K Hodsall, J West, M Jones, R Trott, T Tucker, J Gilbert, K Fubler.