As they grapple with determining the way forward for Bermuda, the Island's cricketers may be able to learn some valuable off-the-field lessons from their visiting Barbadian counterparts.

On the eve of his team's first match here, Barbadian skipper Courtney Browne yesterday outlined the success formula that has seen his side enjoy a clean-sweep of titles in the Caribbean, saying if one sticks to the challenge then rewards will come.

"When you look at our success you must think of words like discipline, commitment and experience. It's been a tremendous team effort from the youngest player to the oldest and the management team has been doing a great job as well.

"We've been working hard for many years to get to this stage. It's not something that just happened overnight. If you look back, people like myself, Philo Wallace, Sherwin Campbell, Floyd Reifer and Ian Bradshaw were playing (for Barbados) from the early 1990s.

"I think we're now reaping the rewards for the work we've been putting in over the years," said Browne who leads the triple-crown champions in a four-match campaign, starting today at Somerset Cricket Club.

He warned that though his side is still in training for its defence of the Red Stripe Bowl - the Caribbean's limited-overs championship - next month, they will approach each match here with the utmost seriousness.

In fact, he called the tour a trial for those seeking to make Barbados' team for the Red Stripe competition.

"It is a trial really because we have a selector (Clinton St. Hill) on tour and this gives us a chance to see lots of the players who will most likely go to Antigua to play in the Red Stripe Bowl. That's important.

"So we're gearing up from now for that tournament. We're looking forward to winning all four games; making sure we start from now to get everyone in tune. Get our batsmen with some runs behind their names and our bowlers with some wickets.

"For many players it's a matter of fitness moreso than form. Once they are fit we know they can perform but we need to make sure, especially with our fast bowlers, that they are fit.

"Fielding is a crucial aspect of our game as well so we need our fielders to be match-ready and this Bermuda tour is the ideal thing for us."

The Barbadians arrived on the Island yesterday morning and practised in the afternoon at Somerset before attending a welcome reception last night at the club which has organised their visit.

Browne said that apart from the better known personalities in the team Bermudians should watch out for newcomers such as Jason Bennett, Tino Best and Dale Richards. Bennett represented the West Indies Under-23 in this year's Carib Beer Cup and got 20-odd wickets

while Best made his maiden Test appearance for the West Indies versus Australia in Barbados in May.

"Jason is a very disciplined young man with a lot of potential and, when he gets it right, he can bowl just as fast as all the other bowlers. He's one to watch for.

"Tino is a fighter and he always goes out there to play his best cricket and to put in 100 percent for his country," said their captain.

Richards - an fluent stroke-maker now rebounding from injury - has already hit form back home in local cricket and Browne said he looks likely to go "from strength to strength".

Browne - a wicket-keeper batsman who has played for the West Indies - predicted "entertaining cricket" throughout the series. It is, he noted, "a good opportunity for Bermuda's cricketers to measure themselves against the top side in the Caribbean".

National coach Mark Harper concurred, saying he hopes the Bermudians can be "very competitive" and possibly cause an upset.

"Hopefully, the guys will go out there very committed and purposeful and, if we happen to get into a good position to win, that we take advantage of that."

Harper, who will oversee the Bermuda Cricket Board (BCB) Select team that opposes Barbados today, said the hurricane crisis had interrupted the squad's preparations and has even robbed them of some of the Island's top players due to work and army duties. However, he remains optimistic.

"Obviously we'd love to have our best players competing, especially against this team. This is a top team - the champions of first-class cricket in the West Indies - and they have a lot of present and former West Indian players.

"For various reasons players are missing but, on the other hand, it's a good opportunity for some of our young players to showcase their talent and see how their skills match up at this level.

"I feel our senior players can set the tone for the game and hopefully they will be able to rally the youngsters and we can really put in a good performance."