begin play in Group D in Malaysia with a match against newcomers Italy.

Batsmen Roger Trott and Glenn Smith, allrounder Janeiro Tucker and bowlers Kevin Hurdle and Kameron Fox will play their first matches in the competition in a side that includes a mixture of youth and experience.

Trott will open the batting with captain Albert Steede, with Smith and Tucker coming in at five and six. Hurdle will share the new ball with Roger Blades while Kameron Fox will handle the slow bowling responsibilities with Arnold Manders.

The fast bowling department has traditionaly been one of the weaker areas in the Bermuda game and the news late last week that Blades was having asthma problems because of the weather will be of concern. His new ball partner, Hurdle, is one with whom coach Allan Douglas is placing a lot of hope.

"I see him carrying the banner for Bermuda in many years to come,'' said Douglas. "I have seen him improve with every match and in every session he puts the work in.'' "We're just making sure we are covering all our bases,'' said Douglas last night of the make-up of the team. Italy, who have only been playing cricket since 1982, are coached by former Bermuda coach Doug Ferguson.

And although they are expected to be one of the weaker teams, Douglas insisted they would not be taken lightly.

"We'll still take each game one at a time but we're confident we can get through,'' said the coach.

"All I know about them is they just got started in cricket in 1982. They had a practice match which they lost to Gibraltar. They are not supposed to be one of those teams that will be world beaters but I don't take anyone for granted anyway.'' The only thing the teams can confidently predict is that it will rain each day in the afternoon.

But even with the rain, there's no guarantee that teams will automatically bat first upon winning the toss. The artificial batting surfaces are porous and designed to dry very quickly.

"Either way we are going to have to bat and bat well, but we will have to see it as it comes,'' said Douglas.

In Bermuda's two warm-up matches against Kenya and Canada they encountered different paced wickets and the conditions are expected to vary with each ground.

"One may be faster and another slower,'' added the coach.

Each of the 22 competing countries -- a record entry in the ICC -- will travel to their matches in Police-escorted buses, but the heavy traffic means that teams could take a long while to get to their grounds for the 9.30 starts.

Bermuda were due to leave their hotel at 7.40 a.m.

Bermuda's other group matches will be against Hong Kong tomorrow and Papua New Guinea on Friday before taking on tournament dark horses, Scotland, on Sunday.

Like Italy, Scotland are newcomers to the tournament but are being tipped to get through to the second round.

Bermuda team (in batting order): Albert Steede (capt), Roger Trott, Clay Smith, Charlie Marshall, Glenn Smith, Janeiro Tucker, Arnold Manders, Dean Minors (w'keeper), Roger Blades, Kevin Hurdle, Kameron Fox. 12th man -- Del Hollis.