THE inaugural season of having youngsters exposed to English club cricket ended prematurely with the unscheduled return of Chris Foggo to Bermuda. Roland Butcher, the former England player who was instrumental in getting Foggo and OJ Pitcher over to Pyrford in the Surrey County League, admitted to being shocked when he learned that his wicketkeeper-batsman had flown the coop.

"I got Mark Ramprakash to put aside four tickets for the floodlit game at the Oval (between Surrey Lions and Hampshire Hawks last Wednesday) and didn't find out until it was time to give Chris his ticket that he had left," Butcher said. "I believe he was put under pressure by his club (St. David's) because they were short of players for the weekend."

That St. David's went on to lose to Western Stars is insignificant - tomorrow, they face Bailey's Bay in the Eastern Counties Cup final where there is a real danger, given the new playing format, that the cup can change hands. Nevertheless, Butcher remains convinced that Foggo's judgment was flawed. "I don't think it was the best decision," he said. "We (Pyrford) need eight more points from two games to win the title and he also had the chance to get to Headingley with BWIA." With Foggo having used his return ticket, that opportunity has been lost, as BWIA face Lambeth Enterprises in the semi-final of the Western Union Trophy in Newbury, Essex, on Sunday. The winners will contest the final on September 29 at the Test venue where India just completed an historic innings victory over England.

So, instead of looking ahead to a weekend of celebration with the second of the two Bermuda charges he has brought on - Pitcher returned a week earlier to enroll at Stonington - Butcher gives a frank report card on their first season in England. "I think they did fairly well," he said. "I know Chris spent some time in South Africa but it is not easy to come into this type of cricket and get instant success. They coped pretty well."

Otherwise, Butcher adds regretfully, the pair were like night and day. "I think Chris could have been better," he said. "I don't think he worked as hard as he could have. OJ was much more motivated and disciplined. He should do very well; he knows what he wants to do. If left alone, he'll get on with it. I think he would have benefited from his time here more than Chris."

When questioned whether he knew of Foggo's enigmatic nature before he took him on, Butcher responded. "I knew this from my time in Bermuda but you've got to take it upon yourself as a person and as a player to do the right things, eat the right things, get the proper rest and so on. Chris kept well for us and BWIA and at times batted well, but overall he wasted his talent, really."

Pitcher has already ruled out a return for next season as he expects to continue his studies in North America during the summer but the position of Foggo is uncertain. Unless he gains residential status by November, he will not qualify to play for Pyrford in the Surrey Championship third division. Butcher is aware that the 20-year-old is considering educational options but heard nothing more since the idea was first broached. There is also the option of remaining in the Surrey County League first division with Byfleet, for whom Foggo scored a century in a friendly match.

"The ball's in his court," Butcher noted. "He talked about coming over here to do a course in horticulture or groundsmanship but before he left there was little sign of it. Byfleet would be the easy option, which would fit nicely for him. He has some friends from Gibraltar who play over there and they don't train as much."

The last statement was a damning indictment that gives the best insight into Butcher's views of a player for whom the Bermuda Cricket Board of Control went to great lengths to place in a South African cricket academy. "I would like him to take the course and go back to Bermuda with a qualification that could help him outside of cricket," he said. "But my guess is that he will take the easy option."

Butcher is determined that the unsatisfactory end to this union will not put him off arranging for other young Bermudians to come over in the future. "I tried to expose them (Pitcher and Foggo) to West Indian cricket as well as the English brand, hence the involvement with BWIA," he said. "It was tough cricket and I think they enjoyed it.

"I plan to bring a lot more young players over to give them exposure and experience. It is not enough to simply bring players over and allow them to go anywhere because you would not necessarily know if the situation is right, with the training, quality of matches, etc. At the end of the season, I will have another chat with (St Clair) 'Brinky' Tucker to see if there are any young players he thinks would do well with the exposure of a season over here."

In the West Midlands, Atherstone Town took two big strides to confirming their status in the Warwickshire Cricket League first division after a pair of draws against clubs at the business end of the table.

On Saturday, Noel Gibbons, the player-coach, scored 67 as Atherstone made 184 for four in a match reduced to 34 overs a side, before restricting Berkswell, the fourth-placed team, to 160 for nine. And on Bank Holiday Monday, away to Dorridge, the leaders and champions-elect, Gibbons recorded his third half-century on trot (50) as Atherstone responded to 226 for seven in 50 overs with 177 for six.

Ryan Steede, striving to hit the 40-wicket mark for the season, finished with a solitary scalp after claiming one for 55 from 17 overs against Dorridge. The St. George's player was none for 44 from ten overs on Saturday.

Southern Railway's promotion push from the Surrey Championship third division was officially ended on Saturday when Old Wimbledonians, the second-placed club, recorded the victory that moved them closer to joining Dulwich, the leaders, on the next level in 2003. The good news was that Railway ended a two-month winless run with a seven-wicket win away to Old Rutlishians. The home side were skittled out for 107 with the total passed inside 19 overs, although the author's contribution was a lamentable six, out to the type of shot that suggests the season is approaching its end.