GOVERNMENT is looking to revamp White Hill Field and St. David's as alternative venues to the National Sports Centre for major football and cricket internationals.

And the Somerset venue could even become a centre for elite athletes. Sports Minister El James told the Mid-Ocean News: "We want two premier stadiums there. We want to knock down the old clubhouse at White Hill Field and develop it into a first class facility."

Mr. James said he hoped to get moving as soon as the asbestos on the club roof problem was dealt with.

Government has consulted with the community, the Somerset Eagles Football Club, the Bermuda Football Association and various athletic clubs to find out what the possibilities were, said Mr. James.

He added: "Those fields, because they have the width and length, can become fully approved one-day international facilities if we can bring them up to scratch.

"We have a guideline from the ICC about what we need to do for both of those facilities as well as the National Sports Centre. If we can get both of those approved it will be great."

Somerset Bridge Recreation Club president Marc Bean, who is also Junior Sports Minister and a Government Senator, said: "The plan is to transform that (White Hill) facility so it could be a second facility to the National Sports Centre - that will allow possible matches like the Bermuda Hogges and even one-day cricket internationals to be held as an alternative venue to the NSC.

"Obviously it's been a slow process but hopefully we can get the demolition of the existing structure and the plans submitted to develope a multi-faceted community sports complex."

He said the new building would likely include a gym, classrooms and changing facilities fitting for an international match.

Sen. Bean said White Hill and St. David's could offer alternatives if there were still problems with hosting one-day cricket at the NSC.

"It is always good to have alternative venues, other countries have alternative venues for cricket and soccer. This is no different."

He said White Hill could be the venue for plans to have a national sports academy where elite athletes in all sports would combine training with academics.

"It's not just a substitute to the NSC but a facility that can help develop sports as a whole."

Meanwhile Mr. James is backing the NSC wicket to withstand the rigours of one-day cricket.

In May the International Cricket Council declared the NSC suitable to resume first class cricket matches after a nearly four year absence and it will host the Intercontinental Cup match with fellow ICC Associates Scotland in July.

Mr. James said the wicket at the National Sport Centre had been prepared using natural resources and local groundsmen and was looking good for the forthcoming match against Scotland.

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