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Coach and player in net session ‘bust-up’

David Moore: Exchanged words with national team player Stephen Outerbridge during a net session at the weekend.

Bermuda’s ICC World Twenty20 2012 qualifying preparations were interrupted at the weekend as national coach David Moore and player Stephen Outerbridge became embroiled in a heated row, according to a Bermuda Cricket Board (BCB) member.Speaking under condition of anonymity, the member said tempers flared after Moore grilled Outerbridge for failing to attend a training session following a night of partying.It is understood that last Saturday’s net session at Berkeley Institute School Field was held up for nearly 30 minutes while Moore and Outerbridge vented their frustrations in front of team-mates.However, cooler heads eventually prevailed with both men said to have apologised for their actions.The BCB did not respond to questions concerning the matter yesterday.Neither was local cricket’s governing body willing to comment on claims that the squad would be accompanied in Dubai by an overseas physiotherapist rather than local Craig Brown, who has travelled with the squad on a number of occasions.According to the BCB member, Brown will be replaced by an English physio who is believed to have been recruited by the Board.Brown couldn’t be reached for comment yesterday.Bermuda’s build-up for the upcoming tournament in Dubai has been surrounded in controversy with numbers at training below par and a number of players raising concerns over David Hemp’s captaincy.There are those within the ranks who feel that the former English County player who has never represented a club in the domestic leagues should be replaced by a Bermudian skipper.So far, Hemp and the BCB have steered clear of the issue.However, in an article on ESPN cricinfo, Hemp put a positive spin on the team’s preparations for the tour of the Middle East.He said World Twenty20 qualification “would go a long way” towards resurrecting the domestic game, especially from a financial standpoint.“It would mean an incredible amount, not only from a financial perspective but also from a cricketing one,” Hemp said.“I say this in light of the position that we currently find ourselves in, having slipped away from both ODI and High Performance status, which has naturally had a negative impact on funding.“Qualifying for the ICC World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka would create an excitement and rejuvenate interest in the game again.”In a recent interview with this newspaper, ex-Bermuda skipper Charlie Marshall lashed out at those players who haven’t dedicated themselves fully to training and also took issue with the BCB who he claims have misled the public by concealing the apathy demonstrated by national team players.“I know guys are not committed and I cannot understand how coaches and selectors can come in the newspaper and lie to the public that players are training,” he said. “They are in the newspaper basically giving false hope to the public.“The coach is saying these guys are training when they are not and it actually shows when you go overseas. I think these guys need to stop misleading the public and get serious about the programme.”Bermuda, who depart for Dubai on Friday, have been pitted in Group A along with Afghanistan, Papua New Guinea, Denmark, Canada, Netherlands, Hong Kong and Nepal who the Island have never played against.Moore’s men will begin their qualifying campaign against the Danes on March 13 in Sharjah.Only two of the 16 ICC Associate/Affiliate countries in Dubai will advance to September’s World Twenty20 2012 in Sri Lanka.