Veteran cricketer Noel Gibbons is determined that a proposed tour of Bermuda next year by a World XI headed by former West Indies Test player Alvin Kallicharran goes ahead.

There had been speculation that the tour would be called off because of the two-month ban, starting next season, which Gibbons received from Bermuda Cricket Board of Control.

But the all-rounder said yesterday he was doing his best to persuade Kallicharran and other veteran world cricketers to overlook his personal plight and give the Bermuda public the privilege of seeing the team in action.

"I will certainly do my best to encourage both parties, Kallicharran and his group and Rudolph Lawrence, vice president of the BCBC, to proceed to work out plans for the tour,'' said Gibbons, who is awaiting an appeal of his case.

"The fact that I may not be able to play because of a mistake the Board has made against me should not deny the local fans the honour of seeing some of the great former cricketers play.'' He admitted his initial reaction had been to agree with Kallicharran and abandon plans for the tour after he was suspended. But during a visit to Singapore over the past 10 days he said he realised it would be in the best interests of Bermuda cricket to take a more positive look at the situation.

Gibbons said he was confident the Board would reconsider the severity of the ban during the appeal and rule in his favour.

"It would be nice to play with the world team against local squads on my home soil,'' he added. "Hopefully they will see that the ruling was unfair and lift the bans of the three Bailey's Bay players, Charlie (Marshall), Terry (Burgess) and myself.'' In addition to having players like Collis King, Alvin Greenidge and Neil Foster in his line-up, Kallicharran is hoping that the current West Indies Test fast bowler Ian Bishop will also be available for the trip to Bermuda.

Gibbons appeared in five of the seven games which Kallicharran's World Select played during the International Sixes tournament in Singapore. They reached the quarter-finals where they were knocked out by South Africa who scored 98 and then dismissed their opponents for 43.

South Africa were the eventual winners after beating Australia in the final.

Bangladesh were third and the World Select fourth.

"The tournament was great. Once again it was an honour to carry the Bermuda banner in another country,'' said Gibbons.

Noel Gibbons