The Bermuda Cricket Board has admitted they mistakenly named Janeiro Tucker and his 186 Cricket Academy colleague Mahesh Hatkar among a national coaching panel tasked with preparing the island for upcoming international tournaments this year.

BCB president Lloyd Smith announced to The Royal Gazette that the pair were among a four-strong coaching panel, only for Tucker to vehemently deny that was the case in an interview the next day.

The BCB had remained tight-lipped over the confusion until BCB executive director Cal Blankendal appeared on Inside Sport Talk Radio yesterday to address the issue for the first time.

“The BCB as an entity, and not just Mr Smith, takes responsibility for that,” Blankendal said.

“We own it, it was a mistake and we own whatever mistakes we made. Mr Smith spoke out of euphoria and we all make mistakes. Mr Smith has said ‘I take that one’.”

It remains unclear whether Herbie Bascome and George O’Brien Jr, the other two coaches named by the BCB, have officially agreed to assist the national team amid claims they have yet to.

Blankendal would not comment on that when pressed but stated that high-performance coach Andre Coley, a former coach of West Indies, will announce the coaching panel when he arrives on island prior to a workshop being run by former West Indies all-rounder Dwayne Bravo this month.

“It was decided that Mr Andre Coley would be the best person to liaise with on the panel of coaches as he is going to be taking them under the remit not to lead but to educate, so when he leaves everyone can leave with a higher level of competence,” Blankendal said.

“He’s taking the lead and when he arrives he will announce to the Bermuda Cricket Board, players and everyone else who is going to be on that panel and we just left it with him.

“Right now he is speaking to everyone and when he arrives during the Dwayne Bravo workshop, which will actually kick-start the outdoor activity for batting, bowling and fielding for the national team, he will make those announcements.”

Bravo will be on island for four days later this month and Blankendal is hoping that his and Coley’s presence will inspire Bermuda’s present crop of internationals.

“Dwayne Bravo is on island from February 20 to 23 to hold weekend workshops,” Blankendal said.

“He has a lot of obligations but again he’s made a window available for us through the hard work of Andre Coley.

“It was always the intent that he would kick-start the technical training for us through a workshop. Yes, it’s a little bit late but before our players even get into batting and bowling they have the mindset that this is what it means to be an international player from someone that’s done it.

“Mr Coley will be leading all of this because he comes from a high-performance background. Dwayne Bravo respects him and vice versa so there’s no one better to lead than a person at that level.

“I’m not saying there’s no one in Bermuda at that level, but we know what Andre Coley has done and what Dwayne Bravo has done and is doing. They will take our national team players to the next level, so we are on target.”

The BCB has announced a 25-man training squad for the North America Cup, which is scheduled to take place in the Cayman Islands from April 4 to 12.

Bermuda will also begin their quest to qualify for the 2028 ICC T20 World Cup on home turf this year after being granted hosting rights for the T20 World Cup Americas Sub-Regional Qualifier, which will be held at the National Sports Centre from June 19 to 28.

Blankendal said the island’s preparations have already commenced with players on island and overseas being put through their paces with a fitness programme.

“The fitness programme has been running since January 21 for the players that have attended,” he said.

“We are doing fitness now before the tactical bowling, batting and fielding so when Mr Coley comes the body and mind are there.”