BERMUDA'S women cricketers began their first practice session of the season this week with hopes of eventually forming a national squad. But for the moment the goal is simply to compete in the under 15-boys league as organisers seek to set realistic goals.

They are getting top coaching from Cup Match Superstar Alan Douglas who put the ladies through their paces at Bailey's Bay Cricket Club on Wednesday night.

Organiser Terry-Lynn Paynter hopes to attract more next week for the session running from 6.00 p.m.

Bermuda Cricket Board chief executive Neil Speight said: "The board is now in charge of ladies cricket. One of the areas we are looking to get kick-started is having a national squad."

The board hopes to encourage a schools programme having noted the growing interest in women's cricket all over the world.

However women's cricket in Bermuda has had a chequered history.

A women's inter-service league launched in 2004 consisting of teams from Prisons, Police, Post Office and Customs petered out after the latter two pulled out said Paynter, a 36-year-old Police constable.

"We wanted the services to come together as the women didn't do much," she said.

Next they tried to get something at club level.

'We got a response from one or two teams but there wasn't enough to sustain a league."

But she will not be put off as the game is in her blood and her love of cricket has taken her as far as Australia last year to watch a West Indies Test match.

"I really enjoyed that. I was interviewed on Australian TV ? because I was screaming for the West Indies and as a woman I stood out.

"There wasn't too many screaming for the West Indies. It was good fun. I definitely opened my eyes, I had never seen it at the national level."

Her grandfather was one of Bermuda's most outstanding batman ? Samual Paynter ? who played for St. George's in Cup Match ? playing his last game the year she was born.

She grew up playing scratch games in St. David's, says she loves to bat, and that Cup Match player George O'Brien is her baby brother.

"I taught him how to play cricket. He could not bowl me out ? as long as he didn't play me those yorkers he gets everybody out with.

"Police tried to get me to play with them but I don't think so. It is very time consuming. If I am going to do the women's cricket I can't be in two places at once.

"What the board is attempting to do is put a women's select team to play in the boys under 15 league.

"I don't think we will physically be able to compete with the under 17 boys."

The women's national team has the support of other top Bermuda coaches.

Paynter joined the Bermuda Cricket Board last year hoping to help bring about change. "Women's cricket is definitely taking off all over the world," she said.