cricket clubs over their weak response to the Bermuda Cricket Board of Control's planned formation of a junior programme.

Just seven out of 16 clubs were said to have bothered attending a recent meeting regarding the new youth league which is due to get underway the first week in July, comprising a 17-and-under division as well as an 11-and-under division.

"It's pathetic,'' said Manders, who captains top club Western Stars in the Premier Division and is a physical education teacher at Berkeley Institute.

"Everybody complains about the Board this and the Board that, but it's really the clubs.

"They don't even bother to show up at meetings, yet they always want to complain about what's going on. Three-quarters of the problems are with the clubs themselves.'' Still, Manders, a member of the newly elected BCBC management committee with an eye on youth development, was adamant that the "show must go on''.

And while it had originally hoped that each BCBC member affiliate would supply a team or teams, a more realistic outcome is likely to be five outfits in both divisions, with certain clubs pooling their talent.

"The league will go on, regardless of how many teams we have,'' insisted Manders, delighting in a day of sunshine at the National Stadium as he watched several young charges competing at the Inter-school Sports.

"Yeah! And it will be competitive as well.'' Meanwhile, Russell Richardson, who has often criticised the BCBC regarding the lack of a viable junior programme in recent years, concurred with Manders, saying that this latest setback was ruining the game.

Richardson, in fact, submitted a proposal to the BCBC for the formation of under-19 and under-16 divisions back in February which was well received by president Ed Bailey.

"I'm glad that something is finally being done,'' said Richardson, currently charged with organising two teams at St. David's Cricket Club. "It's evident that unless something is done with the youngsters cricket will die and the clubs have to get off their backsides. "It goes beyond the Board, the clubs need to get up and do something.

"How are we supposed to develop cricket among the youth if the clubs don't have a programme.'' Recent years have witnessed the blossoming of cricket clinics during the summer months, but these have mostly catered to the pre-teen age group, while the teenagers have largely been ignored.

The result has been a senior league filled with aging veterans. And attrition, combined with player transfers have left gaping holes at certain clubs, holes some have been unable to adequately fill.

A prime example came prior to the commencement of this season when Hamilton Parish were forced to withdraw due to a lack of resources and was again evident on Sunday when Somerset Bridge were unable to field a squad for their season opener against Warwick, although the `line' circulated was that the pitch was not ready.

However, Richardson said that the formation of youth leagues would go a long way towards restoring Bermuda's `national pastime' to its former glory and that sponsors were already in place to foot the bill, but "the machine needed to get rolling''.

"All we need is some more dedicated (club) members to go out and recruit,'' he said. "The players are there. They're in the schools and that may be the next step. Soccer already has a link with the schools and so can cricket.'' ARNOLD MANDERS