team since touring Bermuda in 1993 with a West Indies Select are included in a 13-man Leeward Islands team, which will visit Bermuda next week.

Fast bowler Kenny Benjamin, back in the West Indies squad for a tour to Australia starting in November, is the big name in the reigning Red Stripe champion Leeward Islands' team, which will play three matches in Bermuda between Thursday and Sunday of next week.

Joining Benjamin in the team will be former Test opener Stuart Williams and wicketkeeper-batsman Ridley Jacobs, who played for the West Indies team earlier this year in One-Day internationals against New Zealand.

Commitments to his English County team Northamptonshire has prevented Curtly Ambrose from making the trip while another former West Indies paceman, Winston Benjamin, recently announced his retirement because of injury.

But the squad coming still will provide Bermuda will the high calibre of opposition required for the local batsmen, who will be using the tour as a build-up for the forthcoming Shell/Sandals tournament in the West Indies next month.

Jacobs is an elegant left-handed batsman whom many consider the best wicketkeeper-batsman in the West Indies. He smashed 152 not out off the Bermuda Under-25 attack at Devonshire Recreation Club during the '93 tour.

Because of the unavailability of some established players, this Leewards team includes some up and coming youngsters.

One is Merlin Liburd, an opening batsman who broke three batting records this year to inspire Nevis to the Leeward Islands' three-day and one-day tournament double.

Liburd scored 776 runs, which beat the previous best aggregate by Nevis teammate Carl Tuckett, who scored 617 in 1994.

Also enduring a fine season was Earl Waldron, contributing three centuries in the aforementioned tourney and totalled 560 runs.

Meanwhile, Dave Joseph captained the West Indies Presidents XI to an innings and 49-run win over the touring New Zealand Test team earlier this year in Grenada.

Namesake Sylvester Joseph, at 17, is rated as one of the top young batting prospects in Antigua. He was this year's Under-19 Antigua captain and is also a West Indies youth squad batsman.

Others of note include Tuckett and middle order batmen and off-spinner Ronald Powell, both of whom played in Red Stripe matches this year.

Initially the tour was scheduled for September 13-23, taking in at least five matches, but with a West Indies A team touring Sri Lanka and the West Indies Cricket Board hosting a Commemorative Banquet in Jamaica on the 18th to honour ex-Test players -- with current Test players participating -- this tour had to be brought forward.

The full touring party is as follows: Merlin Liburd, Earl Waldron, Sylvester Joseph, Dave Joseph, Carl Tuckett, Ridley Jacobs, Ronald Powell, Kenneth Benjamin, Auriel Kirnon, Lesroy Irish, Alex Adams, Junie Mitchum, Stuart Williams.

The Leewards tour starts with their opener against Cup Match champions Somerset Cricket Club at Somerset on Thursday, Septempber 12. Their second game is against a Bermuda Cricket Board of Control President's XI at Wellington Oval on Saturday, September 14, while their final game is against the Bermuda National team at Lord's, on Sunday, September 15. All games start at 11.00 a.m. and will be 50 overs fixtures.