Advancing to the last stage of the Cricket World Cup 2007 qualifier; vying to be a match venue for the said World Cup; the absence of a national coach and a new format for local cricket ? these were among the year?s top cricketing headlines.

While scores continued to flock to venues Island-wide in support of their favourite local clubs and the usual controversies prevailed, the spotlight fell squarely on a flurry of international activity involving the Island.

Since late 2003, Bermuda Cricket Board (BCB) president Reggie Pearman had broadly hinted the country would seek some part of the World Cup pie. The Board?s ambitions assumed greater prominence early this year when they revealed Bermuda would indeed bid to be a venue for first-round matches for the cricketing spectacle.

Myriad meetings with the World Cup?s Venue Assessment Team (VAT), the hiring of top-flight consultant firm Brailsford & Dunlavey and the submission of a classy 290-page bid and accompanying video in a silver briefcase followed. Then, in mid-June, VAT members inspected the Island to assess its capability of handling the immense task of being a host venue.

The VAT?s reviews were overwhelmingly positive, however, Bermuda?s hopes of being awarded first-round fixtures were dashed when venues were announced on July 5. The Island was not totally overlooked though, being named first alternate ? in case any first-round locations could not fulfil their obligations ? and a host for warm-up games.

While Government and the BCB have never indicated whether Bermuda have accepted warm-up matches, it is understood Government are reviewing the economic impact and financial implication of hosting such fixtures.

Substantial monies will have to be invested in outfitting the National Sports Centre (NSC) for top-class international matches even though teams involved would only be preparing for the World Cup. Just last week BCB official Neil Speight revealed the new pavilion at Frog Lane was not up to the World Cup standard and could therefore not be used for that purpose.

While the country failed to qualify as a World Cup venue, there was reason to rejoice as national skipper Clay Smith guided Bermuda into next summer?s (International Cricket Council) ICC Trophy in Ireland with a chance to compete in the World Cup if they finish in the top five among 12 ICC Associate nations.

The Island earned a berth in the qualifier by placing third in the Americas Championship here in July.

After easy successes over Cayman Islands, the Bahamas and Argentina, the home team faltered with a three-wicket demise to Canada and finally a 114-run loss to the USA. The Canadians, who played unbeaten, lifted the championship with their North American neighbours finishing second.

Immediately following the Americas tournament, Bermuda took on the USA in the three-day Intercontinental Cup; a new ICC competition for Associate members.

The Island?s batsmen capitulated on the final afternoon to succumb by 114 runs. In their second Intercontinental game, away to Canada in August, Bermuda eked out a nail-biting draw ? thanks to last-wicket pair Kevin Hurdle and Jekon Edness ? after conceding first innings honours.

Pearman explained these three-day matches were part of the ICC?s push to get Associate countries playing the game?s longer format.

?The ICC (International Cricket Council) is saying they want (us to play) the longer version and we have to play three-day matches this year which we haven?t done before,? noted the BCB chief.

In preparation for this challenge, the BCB announced wide-ranging changes to the local season which saw the return of two-day cricket alongside the accustomed limited-overs games.

?Most of the other countries are doing it and we?re finding out the necessity for the longer version of the game.

?It?s not entirely new because we played it some time ago and the (national) coach and everyone else feel the limited-overs format is not helping our cricket.

?The guys need play the longer version and, if you can do that, then you can play the shorter version,? explained Pearman.

Despite initial reservations by some, the cricket community embraced the two-tiered system with many clubs opting to blood their young players in two-day encounters.

Cricketers here also got to test their talents against three touring teams as the West Indies, Barbados and Lloyd?s Cricket Club of England all visited the Island. Bermuda?s most memorable outcome of these battles was an enthralling six-run triumph against Caribbean champions Barbados at Somerset on September 7.

A BCB Select rallied from an inadequate 145 for nine to 225 all out in 48.1 overs, compliments a last-wicket stand of 80 between Dwayne (Sluggo) Leverock and Jacobi Robinson. The Bermudians then dislodged Sherwin Campbell?s men for 219 in 45.3 overs, despite partnerships of 50 and 44 runs respectively for the last two wickets.

Three days earlier, at the same venue, a historic first was recorded in regional cricket as Barbados soundly humiliated the West Indies ? who were preparing for the ICC Champions Trophy in England which they incidentally won ? by eight wickets. Brian Lara and company were restricted to 236 for six before their opponents coasted to 240 for two; teenage opener

Martin Nurse thumping 78 off just 57 balls.

Throughout the abundance of international cricket to which Island residents were treated this summer, one embarrassing and recurrent concern was the state of the NSC pitch. The strip?s inadequate and inconsistent nature first came to light in the Americas Championship with complaints that deliveries were popping up from a full length and batsmen were being struck in the throat when coming forward defensively. There were also reports of the track disintegrating rapidly.

Caymanian skipper Ryan Bovell went so far as to describe the wicket as ?dangerous? after it played a decisive role in his team?s loss to the Americans.

Pitch woes continued to dog the NSC during the Barbados and West Indies matches as a succession of paltry scores were blamed on the Island?s top square which gained increasing notoriety in the overseas Press.

Last month, ICC Pitch Consultant Andy Atkinson condemned the surface as ?more suitable for growing carrots?. Government now awaits his report before deciding whether to permit foreign soil to be imported in an effort to remedy the situation.

Another crisis that requires immediate attention is the fact that, both domestically and internationally, the standard of play by Bermudian cricketers has been characterised by worrying inconsistency in all areas.

While there were patches of good ? and even brilliant ? play by Bermuda?s national team in various tournaments, they often squandered their initiative with cavalier batting and lacklustre bowling and fielding. In addition, they displayed a serious lack of concentration at crucial junctures and it was painfully evident that much greater focus must be paid to fitness if they are to have an impact in Ireland.

Only skipper Smith ? with at least five half-centuries during the summer ? all-rounder Saleem Mukuddem and spinner Dwayne (Sluggo) Leverock showed any ability to perform consistently.

?I sometimes think players don?t understand the value of their innings. There were critical players coming in down the line who could have made a big difference to our team and on both days they failed us,? noted a disappointed Smith after back-to-back defeats to USA and Canada.

?You don?t expect them to make runs every day but what I think happened is that technically they didn?t understand what was being asked of them. In both games we were about 100 with 20 overs to go and if we scored at a run per ball that would have given us 220 runs.

?But players went out there thinking ?I have to pick up the run rate? and just slogged and the next thing you know we lost two or three quick wickets and we end up getting 190 and 150 when we should have gotten 220 with ease.

?It?s a learning process and when you play against teams of a higher calibre you cannot afford to lose sight of your game plan.

?Both games against those teams were close and we were definitely good enough to win this tournament. In the end our inexperience in playing at a higher level showed and that?s what cost us.

?We have a year now to get it right. Hopefully, over the next year we will be able to play against higher-level teams because that?s what we really need.

?As we saw against Canada and the USA, the higher the level got the more some of our players struggled.?

Unfortunately, Smith?s hopes that Bermuda?s preparations for the vital ICC Trophy would gather momentum following their busy summer have not materialised. Six months hence and the Island?s senior cricket programme ? save for naming a 30-member squad and organising training workouts ? appears at a standstill as 2005 looms large.

One of the primary problems hampering progress is the absence of a national coach since Mark Harper?s three-year tenure ended in September. Cricket officials have indicated financial straits have prevented them from selecting a successor to Harper and are currently seeking Government and corporate assistance in underwriting a salary and benefits package for the new coach.

Former South African top batsman Daryll Cullinan is rumoured to be the frontrunner among a lengthy list of those interested in the coaching position. However, how soon he or whoever is chosen will arrive here ? if at all ? remains to be seen.

On the youth front, the Island had mixed fortunes, with a weakened Under-23 team failing to advance to the semi-finals of the TCL West Indies Under-19 championships in Jamaica in July after losing all three of their group matches. On the flipside, the national Under-15 squad celebrated an unforgettable hat-trick of victories in the biennial Americas Under-15 Championship by retaining their crown in the Cayman Islands in July.

Under-23?s coach Allan Douglas was ?extremely disappointed? that most of Bermuda?s best cricketers in that age range, including OJ Pitcher, Delyone Borden, Mackie Crane and Stephen Outerbridge, opted out of the tour in favour of Cup Match.

Their absence cost the Island dearly, with Bermuda enduring a 90-run defeat against Barbados, a six-wicket loss to hosts Jamaica and a four-wicket failure against the Leeward Islands. In all three games the batting failed to fire, with Bermuda passing 150 once.

As for the Malachi Jones-led Under-15 team, they completed the regional event undefeated, beating Canada, USA and the Caymans. Bermuda had won the tournament in the Cayman Islands in 2000, successfully repeated as champions in Florida in 2002 before achieving an impressive treble this year.

The annual Cup Match showdown petered out to a tame draw with Somerset retaining the title. The 2004 edition of the mid-summer classic will long be remembered for two special feats.

First, Saleem Mukuddem ? who in 2003 eclipsed Charlie Marshall?s batting record for a colt with 106 not out ? became the first player since Lloyd James in 1961 and 1962 to hit successive centuries when he fashioned an impressive 160 not out in Somerset?s first innings of 227 for seven declared.

This was in reply to St. George?s paltry 121 but the challengers responded resiliently second time around, posting 355 for eight. In that score, Clay Smith blasted 113 to become the first batsman with three Cup Match hundreds.

Had Somerset not closed their innings prematurely, Mukuddem might have had a chance to surpass Janeiro Tucker?s all-time Cup Match batting record of 186, achieved in 2001 at Wellington Oval.