Bermuda Cricket Board of Control remain hopeful that the national senior team can retain their place in the prestigious Caribbean Red Stripe Bowl - but chances are remote.

While Board president El James confirmed Monday's Royal Gazette story reporting that the Island would most likely not be participating in the tournament because of a change in format, he declined to comment in detail while there was still a possibility that circumstances could change.

Under the Red Stripe's new format, Canada and the United States are the only two teams from Bermuda's region invited this year, their inclusion reportedly based on their performance at the recent ICC Trophy in Canada where they finished above Bermuda.

James, meanwhile, said he couldn't comment on claims that the organisers, the West Indies Cricket Board, were seeking a tournament registration fee in the region of $50,000, far in excess of what has been demanded in previous years.

But he said if that was the case, then Bermuda's dollars would be better spent on the developmental plan which the BCBC were pursuing.

"I have heard talk about that sort of fee, but if that is the case, and I am not saying that it is, I am certain that the Bermuda public would support me all of the way by saying that we would not pay such an amount of money," said James.

"But the truth of the matter is that I don't want to jeopardise our position right now because the door could still be open for our participation."

Word only recently leaked out that Bermuda had lost their Red Stripe status and the news left many stunned - the decision coming just one year after the Island's historic first-ever win in the event, over the Cayman Islands who are also understood to have been given the boot.

James said that he had been made aware of alterations in the format but couldn't confirm suggestions made this week by ICC Regional Development Officer Robert Weeks, currently here for the Youth Tournament, who said that the changes were made long before the ICC tournament began when it was made clear only the two top teams from the region would be invited. Weeks has close ties with the West Indies Cricket Board.

"I know they have revamped the whole structure of the tournament for this year and the changes seem to have affected us . . . but I don't want to pre-empt anything right now because as you realise things do change and the fact of the matter is, we still haven't been officially informed about all of this," added James.

"If it turns out that there is no possible way that Bermuda can be included in their restructuring plans then it's out of our hands. We certainly will not be making any participating payment if that is what is being rumoured.

"It's always nice to participate, but if we would have been asked to pay for travel which comes to about $30,000 and then were faced with paying a year's participation fee then we would be looking at some big dollars.

"If we ever had to splash out big dollars it would go towards development here in the Island, money that could be used in a lot of different ways. We do not have a national training facility for our players, such big dollars would provide facilities at all of our clubs, probably enable us to give these clubs a bowling machine as well."

One source who didn't wish to be named disclosed that the WICB had previously advised that they were contemplating asking US$50,000 for entry and James had informed them bluntly that there was no way that Bermuda would entertain paying such a fee.