World Cup spinner Dwayne Leverock has vowed to continue playing international cricket.

The Southampton Rangers and Somerset Cup Match veteran told The Royal Gazette yesterday that he remains committed to the national cause and is determined more than ever to play his part in helping the Island qualify for the 2011 World Cup.

“I haven’t retired. I’m looking to go right along through to 2009 to help the team re-qualify and then after that I will make a decision (about retirement),” Leverock said.

With senior national team members Saleem Mukuddem, Dean Minors and former skipper Clay Smith having retired, Leverock believes there is other talent out there capable of filling the void.

“We just have to push on with the players that are left and try and help the youngsters come through. The senior players must now establish a foundation to help the younger ones coming through to be successful in the future. And I think we do have the talent. It’s just a matter now of showing them what the processes are to get them to understand from a young age,” the charismatic cricketer added.

Leverock is also among those who would like to see the national team playing more frequently on the international stage.

“I think the more active we are the better it will be for the country. The more games we play the better we will become at perfecting the processes in becoming the top Associate,” he said.

Only last week ICC high performance manager Richard Done agreed that it’s important for the Island to gain as much exposure as possible playing at the international level.

“I’ve spent a lot of time since I arrived talking to Gus (Logie), Neil (Speight) and Irving (Romaine) identifying the type of opposition Bermuda should be playing against and one of the areas under discussion is the possibility of organising fixtures against the best teams in the West Indies,” Done said.

“This is something we’re looking at for both Bermuda and Canada and in the programme we’re putting together we’re looking at fitting in games against the likes of Trinidad and Barbados in around February, March and April of next year.

“That I think would work very well in terms of getting Bermuda exposed to quality cricket.”

Leverock, who rose to fame overnight after dismissing England batsmen Kevin Pietersen and Paul Collingwood in the lead up to the World Cup, has not played domestically since returning from cricket’s premier showpiece in the Caribbean earlier this spring. The veteran left-arm spinner has been experiencing pain in his tonsils lately and is now scheduled to have them removed later this month.

“I should be back playing early next month,” he added.

“But I guess you can say that I could use a little break. Sometimes your body needs a bit of rest.”