Canada and the United States have made three and five changes respectively to their squads for the Americas Cup from those which appeared at the ICC Trophy in Toronto, Canada last June.

For Canada, skipper Joe Harris and Australian based John Davison are both unavailable, while fast bowler, Dave Joseph is understood to have a foot injury, according to website Cricinfo.

They are replaced by former Guyana opener Fazil Sattaur, Abdul Samad and Sukhinder Rana.

Nicholas De Groot, a veteran of 33 First Class games with Guyana, takes over as captain for this tournament.

Queenslander, Jeff Thomas, who coached Canada to a World Cup berth at the ICC Trophy, retains the role for this tournament.

Forty-eight year old Faoud Bacchus, who made his Test debut for West Indies against Australia in 1978, retains his place in the United States squad where he will act as player-coach for this tournament.

The United States Cricket Association asked Bacchus to fill the coaching role while it continues its search for a permanent coach who will continue until the 2005 ICC Trophy. The USACA does not want to rush the appointment.

The five newcomers are 19-year-old Detroit based left hand opener, Amer Afzaluddin Ahmad, right arm fast bowler, Adrian Jordan, right arm off-spinner, Rudy Narine and Rafiq Patni, a wicket-keeper and middle order batsman.

The United States squad is: Amer Afzaluddin Ahmad (Detroit), Rohan Alexander (New York), Faoud Bacchus (Orlando) (player-coach), Denovan Blake (Boston), David Hoilett (Atlanta), Nasir Islam (Washington DC), Mark Johnson (Miami), Adrian Jordan (Boston), Rudy Narine (New York), Javed Nasir (Ft. Lauderdale), Rafiq Patni (Los Angeles), Richard Staple (New York) (Captain), Rashid Zia (Los Angeles), Joy J Zinto (Los Angeles).

Meanwhile, the honour of captaining the Bahamas in their first official limited overs tournament at international level falls to Llewelyn Armstrong, a right hand batsman who bats at first drop, and is an economical medium pacer.

Another key player for the Bahamas is expected to be Whitcliff Atkinson, a left arm medium pacer who can also bowl spin turning both ways.

Atkinson is said to be an attacking batsman, who can accelerate the scoring quickly, runs quickly between wickets and is apparently an excellent fielder.

The squad is: Llewellyn Armstrong (Captain), Jairam Mangra, Gary Armstrong, Gregory Taylor, Randolph Coakley, Edmund Lewis, Vianney Jacques, Whitcliff Atkinson, Dereck Gittens Jnr., Don Butler, John Mayers, Dwight Wheatley, Garcha Blair, Venris Bennett.