West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) have dismissed claims that Bermuda were overlooked for the 2012 Caribbean Twenty20 (CT20).The WICB have come under heavy criticism recently from various sectors of the local community for apparently giving Bermuda the cold shoulder.However, WICB spokesman Imran Khan said nothing could be further from the truth.“To say that Bermuda was overlooked by the WICB is inaccurate and thus grossly misleading,” he told The Royal Gazette. “The WICB did not go out seeking to invite teams, consider Bermuda and then refused their participation.“In fact, if there is anyone to be blamed for Bermuda not being a part of the CT20 it is the cricketing authorities in Bermuda (Bermuda Cricket Board) who never approached the WICB indicating an interest in participating in the tournament.”Last week BCB first vice-president Allen Richardson said: “We were never offered a position in the competition and from what I gather neither were the US.“An invitation was never given to us to . . .”National team player Rodney Trott said he was also upset in light of the fact that Bermuda are preparing for the ICC Global Qualifiers in Dubai in March.“It is disappointing, especially because we aren’t a Test playing nation and have limited international fixtures on the horizon. It would have been nice to go down there and get in some games before heading to the qualifiers,” he said.Earlier this week BCB presidential candidate Ed Bailey questioned whether Bermuda had “alienated itself” from the Caribbean and the rest of the world.Khan set the record straight as to how non-Caribbean countries, such as Bermuda’s ICC Associate rivals Canada and Netherlands, were allowed to participate in next January’s tournament to be jointly hosted by Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados.“From the inception of the CT20, Canada has participated and their participation continues as part of a relationship between the WICB and Cricket Canada, which goes back several years to Canada participating in the Red Stripe Bowl (the WICB 50-Over tournament),” he said.“We wish to make it clear that we did not invite Netherlands.“Netherlands approached the WICB seeking to participate in the CT20 and the WICB reviewed their request and agreed to accommodate them. We are pleased that they will participate in the tournament.“Should Bermuda be keen on participating in the CT20, as is apparently the case, the authorities should have (as was done by Netherlands) approached the WICB and communicated their interest.”The third non-Caribbean team competing in the upcoming tournament is English County team Sussex as part of an ongoing partnership between the WICB and the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB).“This is part of our broader relationship with the ECB which sees the England Lions playing in the WICB Four Day Tournament, West Indies ‘A’ team touring England and our umpires officiating in England,” Khan said. “Sussex’s participation follows the participation of Hampshire and Somerset in the last edition of the CT20.”The CT20, to be held from January 9-22, is one of the WICB’s development initiatives that is designed for the participation of the region’s six teams along with the Combined Campuses and Colleges.Khan said Bermuda could be considered for future CT20 tournaments but only if they expressed a desire to be involved.“We invite Bermuda, if the interest continues for future editions of the CT20, to indicate their interest to the WICB for consideration,” he added. “While there can be no guarantee of participation, as a partner in cricket I am certain we will do our utmost to facilitate as far as possible.”The 2012 event will see 12 preliminary round matches played at the Queen’s Park Oval in Trinidad from January 9 to 14 while eight preliminary round matches, the semi-finals, third place play-off and final will be played at the Kensington Oval from January 17 to 22.The ten teams have been placed in two groups:Group A: Trinidad and Tobago, Windward Islands, Guyana, Leeward Islands and Canada.Group B: Jamaica, Barbados, Combined Campuses and Colleges, Netherlands and Sussex.