While confirmation Bermuda will compete in the upcoming Intercontinental Cup in June is indeed encouraging, news that some of the Island?s top players have been omitted from the national training squad is certainly not.

National coach Mark Harper yesterday confirmed several players had been scrapped from the squad, currently preparing for both the Intercontinental Cup and America?s Cup World Cup qualifying tournaments on local soil, for repeatedly failing to attend winter training sessions.

Southampton Rangers cousins Janeiro and Kwame Tucker, big-hitting Warwick batsman Dion Stovell and Allan Douglas Jr, Bailey?s Bay all-rounder Jermaine Outerbridge and Jermaine Warner ? said to be heading back to Willow Cuts this season ? St.George?s? seamer Gregg Foggo and promising St.David?s all-rounder Delyone Borden have all been axed from the squad.

Other notables dropped from the training squad are Gary Williams, Ricardo Brangman, Kameron Fox, Omar Amory and Dwight Basden.

While Veteran Bay all-rounders Corey Hill and Dennis Pilgrim, Western Stars? batsman Jermaine Postlethwaite and spinner Hasan Durham, Leg Trappers wicketkeper Justin Freisenburch along with Social Club-bound Glenn Blakeney all submitted letters to the Board stating their intentions not to participate at the national level.

Players who have been unable to train over the winter are Sam Stevens, OJ Pitcher and Stefan Kelly ? all currently studying abroad.

Veteran medium-pacer Herbie Bascome has also seemingly bowed out of the international arena while former captain Albert Steede publicly announced his national team retirement last year..

A total of 23 players have consistently attended national team practice sessions since last November.

?We have set out a code of conduct and some regulations we expect the players to comply with. And it doesn?t matter if you are a big name player or a small name player. If you don?t train then you are omitted from the squad ? and that?s it.? explained Harper.

?If the players are interested then they will be a part of the squad but if they are not, then they are no longer a part of the squad. I just work with the players who come out to training and we are just trying to make the best of what we have. We have set out some guidelines of what we expect from the national squad players and that?s where we are moving. We are just working hard with the players who are committed to what it is we are trying to achieve.?

So far, national squad training has steadily progressed over the winter months, said Harper.

?Training has been progressing along; we work out on Thursdays and Sunday mornings. We have been doing this since November and things are shaping quite well ? the guys are working extremely hard,? he said.

As for last week?s announcement that Bermuda will take part in the Intercontinental Cup, Harper said it will be a ?good? opportunity for the Island?s cricketers to play at that level.

?I think we need to play a lot of cricket at that level and it is a good opportunity for the guys to compete in a first class environment. I think they are well aware that it is going to be a big challenge. But the guys are working well towards that,? said Harper.

Heading into what will undoubtedly be an extremely busy summer for Bermuda, the coach remains cautiously optimistic about the Island?s chances of success in both the upcoming international commitments given the national team has not competed since the 2002 America?s Cup in Argentina.

?That is a big concern, but not necessarily a setback. I think we have as good a chance as any of the other countries competing,? he added.

?We are playing at home and that could be an advantage for us. But it will all boil down to how we apply our skills and play together as a team. I think we have a very good chance of doing well in the competition ? but is going to be very competitive.?