James Collieson will play for Bermuda's Davis Cup team this year, giving their promotion hopes a massive boost.

Collieson will accompany Ricky Mallory, Michael Way and Jensen Bascome in the four-man team named by Bermuda Lawn Tennis Association yesterday for the week-long tournament in Honduras in March.

But US-based Davis Cup veteran Donald Evans is ruled out because of work commitments, as he was in 1999, and Dean Mello is the alternate, meaning he will step in if there is a late withdrawal.

Last year, Collieson pulled out of the team days before they flew out for the American Zone Group IV tournament in Trinidad to play in a major US collegiate tournament for the University of Carolina, where he studies.

Mello replaced Collieson, but that left the team with only two singles specialists and by the end of a gruelling six matches in seven days, both Mallory and Way were injured.

The presence of 23-year-old Collieson will take some pressure off the two veterans and give team captain Steve Bean extra options for each tie, comprising two singles and one doubles.

Last year, Bermuda won their first two ties but lost their next four to finish fifth out of seven countries and Bean said afterwards: "If James Collieson had been in the team, I think we would have been going up.'' Collieson, speaking from North Carolina yesterday, said he was keen to help his team make up for last year's disappointment.

"From speaking to everybody, it sounded as if Ricky and Michael played really well last year and they just needed that extra singles player to go up,'' said Collieson. "It was disappointing to think I could have contributed to that effort. Hopefully this year, we will be able to go up.'' Collieson explained that circumstances had presented him with a painful choice between college and country last year.

"I only got to the school in January and they had put up the money for a full scholarship for me. It was a coincidence that the Davis Cup was during our Spring break when the college had a lot of matches to play.'' Collieson's collegiate season starts on February 5, when Carolina visit Wake Forest in the first of around 30 fixtures this year.

The tournament in Honduras will follow a similar format to the Trinidad event, with seven teams vying for the top two places and promotion to Group III for 2001.

Again, there will be only one rest day in the week for the team, with the opposition provided by Antigua/Barbuda, Barbados, the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States, Honduras, St. Lucia and the US Virgin Islands.

Collieson, who has played in two Davis Cup tournaments for Bermuda in Bolivia and El Salvador, said the competition had a unique atmosphere.

"The fans tend to be more rowdy, especially in the Central American countries,'' said Collieson. "There's a lot of chanting and it's kind of exciting. Even though they are shouting against us, the atmosphere still helps us to play.'' Alan Simmons, honorary life vice-president of the BLTA, was disappointed by the absence of Evans, but felt Bermuda were fielding a team without weak links.

"Jensen Bascome is playing for his college team (Temple University, Philadelphia) now and he has improved quite a lot and he is a good replacement to have coming in,'' said Simmons.

"We had our chances last year, but a combination of fatigue and injury cost us. Having James Collieson this year gives us three good singles players and that will help Steve Bean a lot.'' James Collieson: his inclusion in the squad will boost Bermuda's hopes of success at the Davis Cup American Zone Group IV matches in Honduras in March.