Despite Bermuda Cricket Board (BCB) giving the green light for all national team cricketers to play in next month?s Cup Match classic, deputising national team skipper Irving Romaine has still ruled against making himself available for Cup Match selection for challengers Somerset Cricket Club.

Local cricket?s governing body announced yesterday that Kenya will be unable to compete in two One Day Internationals (ODI) against Bermuda in Toronto on August 9 and 10, thereby paving the way for any national team cricketers to represent the two respective clubs in the 105th edition of the annual mid-summer classic.

Earlier this year national coach Gus Logie created a big stir when he recommended that all national team fast bowlers be rested over the two-day holiday period ahead of the two ODIs against Kenya in Toronto.

Yet despite yesterday?s revelation, Romaine, who will captain Bermuda against Jamaica in the Stanford 20/20 Tournament in Antigua next week, stuck to his guns.

?It was a difficult decision to make based on the fact a lot of people in the public want to see me play . . . . but I won?t be playing Cup Match due to the hectic schedule we (Bermuda) now have playing cricket,? Romaine told .

?It?s just been so hard whereas I have spent more time away from Bermuda playing cricket more than anything else. And so the little bit of time I do have at home I would love to spend it with family because my time with the family has been very limited.?

Only last week another Somerset Cup Match cricketer, Saleem Mukuddem, ruled himself out of this year?s classic to concentrate solely on next month?s international commitments in Toronto with the national team.

However, following yesterday?s announcement from the Board, Mukuddem told There is a possibility I will play because my initial decision not to play was based solely on the closeness of the two matches.?

Romaine, meanwhile, debuted in the annual mid-summer classic as a colt at Somerset Cricket Club in 1998, and two years later was a member of Albert Steede?s victorious Somerset team that defeated St.George?s by six wickets in the West End in 2000.

However, Romaine?s Cup Match career was cut short when he was replaced by Bailey?s Bay team-mate Dennis Pilgrim in 2002 following a disappointing domestic season with the bat.

?Some people think that I stopped playing Cup Match a couple of years ago, but it?s actually been five years now since I last played in the classic,? he added.

Following a successful ICC Trophy campaign with the national squad in Ireland last July ? where he scored 213 runs at an average of 35.50 ? Romaine looked set to return to Somerset?s Cup Match XI.

Unfortunately, however, injury forced Romaine to the sidelines.

?I broke my ring finger on my right hand during the tournament and couldn?t play,? he explained. ?And then owning a house and having a family means you have to prioritise certain things. I was looking forward to playing last year, not knowing that a year later I would be playing cricket constantly everyday.?

Romaine did, however, represent Bermuda at last August?s ICC Intercontinental Cup in Toronto, scoring a maiden century (111) at the international level against Cayman Islands at Toronto Cricket Club.

Somerset Cup Match skipper Janeiro Tucker added; ?Romaine is one of those players you always want to have in your team because he is an asset, especially when you are trying to win the trophy back.?

And as for the possible inclusion of Mukuddem in next month?s classic, the Somerset skipper added: ?I?m still looking at the overall picture, but if he (Mukuddem) becomes available then all the better.?

Meanwhile, Board president Reggie Pearman said it was disappointing to learn that next month?s ODIs with Kenya had been scrapped.

?We have had very competitive cricket matches with Kenya and we were looking forward to playing against them in August,? he added.

The national cricket team will now leave later than originally planned, tentatively on August 9, to prepare for the ICC Intercontinental Cup game against Canada and then a series of ODI including the ICC Americas Division One Championship.

However, there remains the possibility that replacement ODI?s may be scheduled in the near future.

?We have an ongoing dialogue with the Kenyan Board regarding the future schedule and both countries are working hard to incorporate more fixtures in the upcoming months,? Pearman added.