Batsmen Kwame Tucker and Azeem Pitcher will not be travelling to the UK as part of the national cricket squad on Sunday while under-15 national coach Lionel Tannock has been appointed as interim team manager.

Unveiling the final squad details yesterday afternoon, Bermuda Cricket Board confirmed that Tucker had not recovered sufficiently from a torn groin sustained during the Tri-Series final against Zimbabwe while Pitcher, who endured a disastrous run of form down in the Caribbean, is unable to travel because of work commitments.

No doubt searching for an effective seamer to complement George O?Brien jr, fit again Bailey?s Bay seamer Jim West has also been drafted into the squad after recovering from a nagging shoulder problem.

And with Tucker unavailable to fill the reserve wicketkeeper?s role, Western Stars ?keeper Jekon Edness will take time off from university in Wales to play some part in the five scheduled matches.

Together with the 15 players, the travelling contingent will also include local umpire Wilbur Pitcher, being taken along to gain experience overseas while injured national team skipper Clay Smith ? despite stepping down as manager ? is to continue in his role of assistant coach as he continues his rehabilitation from knee surgery.

Fears over the state of Janeiro Tucker?s knees, meanwhile, have been allayed for now as he takes his place at the helm, though all-rounder Lionel Cann is to remain behind to undergo surgery on his strained groin.

Bermuda play two matches in England next week against Sussex Second XI and Lloyds Cricket Club, before hopping across to Guernsey for three successive games against a team they beat by six wickets in the lead-up to last year?s ICC Trophy.

Coached by former Leicestershire and England all-rounder Jack Birkenshaw, the Channel Island?s team have a number of decent cricketers in their ranks including England under-19 batsman Jeremy Frith, former Hampshire seamer Lee Savident and Indian all-rounder Ami Banerjee, who played several years of first class cricket in his homeland before moving to Guernsey to work.

Guernsey Cricket Board president David Piesing said yesterday they were looking forward to taking on Bermuda and hoping to exact revenge for their defeat last summer.

With over 3,000 children involved in their youth development schemes, Guernsey has one of the fastest growing cricket programmes in the world ? with the national side gearing up for a major regional tournament in Scotland this August.

Currently in the Europe?s Division Two along with teams like Germany, Gibraltar and Greece, Piesing said they were determined to secure promotion this summer so that they could play the continent?s leading teams such as Scotland and Ireland on a more regular basis.

?Our entire focus is on getting into Division One and the Bermuda games are a perfect opportunity to test ourselves going into the tournament in August,? he said.

?We gave Bermuda a good game last time round with what amounted to our strongest team and this time we are hoping to improve on that performance.

?We have ambitious plans for the future of cricket on Guernsey and with such a flourishing youth structure we believe that the future is bright.?Bermuda squad

Janeiro Tucker - captain

Irving Romaine - vice-captain

Saleem Mukuddem

Dean Minors

OJ Pitcher

Dwayne Leverock

Hasan Durham

Kevin Hurdle

Treadwell Gibbons Jnr.

Delyone Borden

James West

George O?Brien Jnr.

Daniel Morgan

Ryan Steede

Jekon Edness

Gus Logie - National Coach

Wilbur Pitcher - Umpire

Lionel Tannock - Manager

Clay Smith - National Team Captain

Craig Brown - Physio

Wednesday, May 31: Bermuda v Sussex 2nds (East Grinstead CC)

Friday, June 2: Bermuda v Lloyds CC (Beckenham CC)

Saturday, June 3: Bermuda v Guernsey (TBA)

Sunday, June 4: Bermuda v Guernsey (TBA)

Monday, June 5: Bermuda v Guernsey (TBA)