Even as Bermuda were singularly victorious during the recent ICC Men’s T20 Americas Sub-Regional Qualifier A, the real value of winning, as some have said, is what it builds for everyone involved.

Thus, while the overarching goal of one was achieved, Bermuda Cricket Board vice-president Steven Douglas and Belize National Cricket Association president Dwight Gabb looked at using competition as a means of effecting mutual improvement, not just taking the trophy.

With Bermuda’s standing as arguably the most experienced ICC Associate member in the Americas, with a long and consistent history in the region’s cricketing scene, Douglas noted an obligation to aid the development of less-developed associates such as Belize.

“I think us being an established cricket nation for a very, very long time, and them just beginning the journey, it's for us to be the big brother,” said Douglas of Bermuda, which became an ICC Associate member in 1966, making it one of the earliest in the Americas.  “Our role in the Americas region has been to be the big brother since [Alma] Champ Hunt was president and was continued during the tenure of Ed Bailey.

“Those guys led the way and set a standard, so now the current administration has a responsibility to continue developing.

“A lot of credit goes to Cal Blankendal, the BCB’s executive director, who has put together the North American Cup and has also developed an Americas region webpage or social media platform where he posts various articles about all of us.

“We all have to grow together, because we are as strong as our weakest link. So, the more we make everybody stronger, the better your Americas gets and the more the Americas gets recognised within the whole of ICC.”

Meanwhile, Gabb, despite Belize having only placed fourth, was encouraged by the upward trajectory of the game in his country and the South American region in particular, and was grateful for prior and ongoing assistance from Bermuda.

“This is my second year as president and when I met with Calvin [Blakendal] and Lloyd [Smith] we immediately became friends and started to share information,” explained Gabb, following his team’s final, a loss to Bahamas. “Calvin started to share our posts on Facebook to the wider public, so that we have a further reach.

“We try to liaise with our regional partners and see how we can help each other because we may not have that reach at home, but if we start to share other people's Facebook posts and Instagram posts, we get into a wider cricket community and bring awareness that cricket is being played in this country and that country.

“From the previous tournament, I believe that we progressed here in Bermuda. We came in fifth at the last tournament, when it was a field of nine and we were up against the likes of Bermuda and Cayman, which are both formidable opponents.

“But I see ourselves on par with all the other teams.”

Unlike Bermuda, where cricket is one of two official national sports, cricket struggles for popularity in Belize against volleyball, track and field, and soccer, which is regarded as the country’s national sport.

However, Gabb said that cricket, with its campaign of widespread marketing and media platforming, is making significant inroads among nation’s sporting and social fabric.

“Our aim is to participate in tournaments like these, to participate in games and tournament regionally as a means of promoting cricket within in our country and the region,” added Gabb. “The game has declined over some years in Belize.

“Where it was at a high before the 1970s, it died during the 1970s to the 1980s, but it has been revived more recently and we're still trying to spread it more throughout the country, because right now there’s only one area of the country that it's being played regularly.”

Potential ways in which Bermuda can help Belize may include coach exchange programmes, on-island clinics and remote support.