This week when reading about David Hemp deciding to step down as captain but opting to play on, it showed me he still has the passion to play for Bermuda, which is good news.We have played together, batted together and I have watched, learned and admired his professional attributes. His contribution as a player is still very much needed and I am in no doubt that he will offer his advice to the new skipper as Bermuda move forward with a contingency plan for the future.Now it is game on for the players, the onus now falls on you. The captaincy was an issue but that seems to have been sorted, so now what?The turn-out for national duty is scarce and that must change immediately. I guess the idea of picking so many players in the training squad was to guarantee that out of the 40 odd selected, at least 20 players would turn out to training. However, as we all have been reading an average of 10 players have made themselves available on training nights. Surely just the captaincy issue could not cause such a poor turn-out, so what’s the excuse?If one of the excuses is that a break is needed because the season has just ended, or that you are somewhat drained, then maybe you don’t love or even like cricket the way that you say you do.If you love cricket and want to be successful you don’t and won’t get tired of preparing yourself for battle because when you go into battle you want to make sure you are 100 percent ready. Players, I have to tell you it is time to step up to the plate and pull your end of the weight. The level of competition that you are about to face requires you to start preparing now or you will get thrashed.It is one thing losing, but to lose because of lack of preparation on home soil at this level in front of your family and friends will be humiliating and none of us cricket lovers want to witness that.We have the players with the ability to win the group and redeem our rightful place in Division Two, but failing to prepare could easily find us finishing at the bottom of the group. The group of teams are evenly balanced with very little separating them, hence the necessity to start training now to maximise our talents when crunch time comes.While I place the majority of the onus on the players I do have to challenge the Bermuda Cricket Board to sort out the one thing that has plagued the players’ efforts for many years the good old work commitment and financial compensation concerns and disputes.One suggestion would be to offer an incentive right from the start for the players. If Bermuda do finish in the top two and get promoted, this will put some extra funds in the kitty for the Bermuda Cricket Board. So if we are serious about qualifying why not put up a win bonus for all of the players selected. An example would be for the players to receive a percentage of the funds given for qualifying.Other bonus structures should also be put in place centred on team and individual performances. At the end of the day we have to remember that the players are the product, and by gaining promotion it will allow the CEO and marketing staff to go out and seek sponsorship because they would now have something tangible to put on the table.I know some may be reading and thinking money, money, money, that’s all they want, but the reality is we all work five days a week to make money to provide for our families and the type of commitment we are talking about for this tournament is another full-time job, on top of a day-time one.We had one player from the last tournament preparations that couldn’t go on tour because he had to work on training nights.No, the focus should not be about just money and what can be gained from being totally committed but it is what inspires today’s players, from amateurs to full time professionals, and if our players see paying their bills more important than playing for their country then we either have to sort that out or accept that we won’t have their full commitment.I know that the Board have made it clear as to what they expect from the players. The one thing missing is their clear position on work commitments and financial compensation and how to work together to resolve that.Whatever the decision by the Board, the players have to decide if they are going to accept it and be fully committed or excuse themselves from the programme. They will have to decide if they are either in or out. The players should not be able to hold the board or the rest of their team-mates at ransom. Standards have to be met and kept regardless of whether or not it eliminates one or two big names out of the squad. A team is built around 11 players all working towards a common goal.The successor captain should have specific goals in mind for Bermuda and he should look to inspire his players to push a little bit more in every training session and to never let go of their individual and team goals, for that is why they train, to be successful.We were successful once before what stops us from being successful again?