Bermuda Cricket Board of Control may have to explain at their annual meeting in a few weeks' time.

And what also is expected to be discussed is an estimated $40,000 believed to have been paid to top Australian coach Bobby Simpson for his brief stint of a little over two weeks in Malaysia two years ago when he assisted with the preparation of Bermuda's ICC Trophy squad.

There has been no explanation on what may have happened to the $20,000 which was held in a bank account in England.

An investigation into the Barclays Bank account -- which dwindled from $21,083.99 to a mere $642.38 -- was promised a year ago by the then new executive BCBC committee headed by El James.

James and his board discovered the withdrawals from the BCBC account after replacing Ed Bailey and the majority of his executive in July, 1997. The new board promised a full audit of the account at the affiliates' annual general meeting early in 1998.

But James has long refused to offer any comment on the grounds that cricket didn't "need the negative exposure''.

"All I am prepared to say about money is that the Board is now in a very healthy financial position,'' James said this week.

However, a source close to the Board said he was surprised that the matter was being "hushed up'' as neither James nor his executive had anything to fear since they were not responsible for money spent prior to their election.

"Mr. James and the new executive have done well to revive the sport of cricket in many ways, bringing aboard new sponsors and organising a decent youth programme for the first time in eight years. They have put cricket back on the right track,'' added the source.

James and his new Board advised affiliates during last year's AGM that there would be a "full audit'' regarding the money that went from the English account.

But it is understood that chartered accountant and long-time BCBC treasurer Neil Speight has been unsuccessful in tracing the money that went missing.

It's believed the money was taken out of the account in cash withdrawals, making it difficult to trace.

Meanwhile, the Board were also stunned to learn that Simpson was paid such a high fee for his involvement with the squad in Malaysia -- wanting to know why previous executives had not questioned the payout.

The search for a new Board president continues with James believed to be leaning more strongly towards resigning because of his increasing commitments after being elected to parliament.

Steps are being made to persuade others to run for president but so far no clear-cut favourite has emerged with interest among those approached said to be moderate at best.

James' added responsibilities -- as an MP and chairman of the Education Department and Golf Advisory Board -- have already limited his routine appearances at the Board's office in Hamilton and is something that is further influencing his decision to quit cricket altogether.

Privately, he is said to be disappointed about the prospect of leaving after having improved many of the existing programmes while watching new initiatives come to fruition.

BOBBY SIMPSON -- reportedly paid some $40,000 for two weeks' work.