IF Bermuda can succeed next month when they travel to South Africa for the qualifying competition for the Women's Cricket World Cup, then it will give the sport the boost it needs, said Bermuda coach Allan Douglas.

Eight teams will be in South Africa vying for the two spots in the 2009 World Cup to be staged in Australia. Bermuda are in Pool A with favourites South Africa along with Holland and Papau New Guinea. Pool B is made up of Ireland, Pakistan, Zimbabwe and Scotland.

Douglas said that like many sports in Bermuda, the pool of players to choose from is small and there is stiff competition from other sports.

"We do have a fair bit of talent here," said Douglas this week. "The best way to get more players is through the schools. I know the Bermuda High School has a girls team and there are girls from Warwick Academy playing. Those are the places we must get the players of the future from."

Douglas, who has also been the head coach of the senior men's team and Bermuda's ICC youth team as well as playing for Bermuda in the ICC Tournament, said he faces tough competition from hockey and football.

"A lot of girls who are really good athletes are involved in hockey or are in football. Those are the same two pools where I can find players. I went up to watch the hockey players (at the National Sports Centre) and I saw they were athletic and had good eye/hand coordination and I said 'I could use them'. But they are heavily into their hockey and likewise the football girls are heavily into their sport. That is the challenge we face and this is why we have to get into the schools early."

Douglas has been putting his players through their paces inside and outside.

And he said with all three of Bermuda's national teams in action next month, there was a lot of pride in the sport right now.

"We have been using the BHS gym with the senior and Under 19 players and it has been good. The women get to watch those guys in action and some of the guys come over and help them and give advice.

"The women are getting a lot of support. The guys like the idea of being able to offer assistance to them and show them some things. You can see it ¿ there is a lot of pride there. We have three national cricket teams going on the world stage next month ¿ the (senior) guys at the Stanford 20/20, the Under-19 team at the World Cup and the girls at the World Cup qualifying. I think there is huge support by everyone ¿ they all want the other teams to do well. There is a great deal of respect all around."

Of the opposition Bermuda will face in South Africa, Douglas said: "Well we know that South Africa are going to be tough and Holland as well. They have good teams. But we will try and put our best foot forward and try and create a couple of surprises. We want to come out strong in the first game (against South Africa). Cricket is a funny game where you never know what will happen."

One player Douglas will be banking on to do well is ¿ Shuntae Todd.

He said: "She has so much promise as does Reuna Richardson who is only 16-years-old."

Of Todd he said: "She is an excellent bowler. She was training last week and (former Bermuda captain) Sad Brown came down to watch. I told him to check her out and she certainly impressed him. Sad watched her bowl and said she had better technique than many of the guys out there. That is high praise coming from a guy like Sad. (International umpire) Roger Dill was also there and Shuntae unleashed a bouncer. Roger looked at me and said' where did that come from?' I am really proud that we have players like her."

If Bermuda can reach the finals of the World Cup next year in Australia, it would bring a lot more women into the game, said Douglas who kept wicket for Bermuda and St. George's in Cup Match as well as for his league team Cleveland.

"If we can go to the World Cup and get a high profile that will be so important," he said. "I personally think we can go on the world stage in cricket a lot faster than we could in football. Some of the girls in the cricket team have represented Bermuda before in football and I say to them that we are three matches away from playing in the World Cup ¿ the highest level in the world in cricket for women. I ask them how many matches would they have to play to get to the World Cup in football ¿ that is how I break it down for them.

"And I believe we can do it. I tell the girls that if you want to make it big come to cricket."

Bermuda Cricket Board president Reggie Pearman also is hoping that the women can qualify for the World Cup but realises it is tough for small countries like Bermuda to get there.

He said this week: "Our pool is very limited in terms of who we can pick from. Our resources are not like other countries. Right now for the ladies it is a learning process and we are cognisant of the fact that the more cricket we can get in the schools the more ladies we can get involved with cricket.

"I would like to see cricket get where football is now. We have a small pool to pick from and that is the unfortunate part if living on a small island ¿ we have to stimulate the interest to get the young girls into cricket and then move on from there. But everything is opening up for women in cricket around the world and that is good to see."

South Africa were chosen to host the World Cup qualifiers following the International Cricket Council's (ICC) decision to move the matches from Pakistan because of its current state of political turmoil.

The qualifiers were plunged into jeopardy following the assassination of Pakistan's former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.

The qualifiers will take place in Stellenbosch, in the Western Cape Province, from February 18-24.

The Women's World Cup is actually older than the men's tournament.

It was first played in England in 1973, although next month's showpiece will be the first played under the ICC banner, following the merger of the International Women's Cricket Council with the ICC in 2005

Australia are the current holders of the trophy having won the last global event in 2005, which was played in South Africa.

The team is: Linda Mienzer (Captain), Wendy Woodley, Reuna Richardson, Rhoda Jones, Charlene Thompson, Maryellen Jackson, Rickelle Smith, Terry-Lynn Paynter,

Suzette Albouy, Arkeita Smith, Stacy Babb, Chevonne Furbert, Nicole Jones, Shuntae Todd.

Stand-by: Carol Edness, Sinshea Paynter, Stacey Jodi Simmons, Zina Jones.

Officials: Allen Douglas (Head Coach), Peter Philpott (Assistant Coach), Cinda Bobb (Team Manager), Herman Eve (Women's Director), Maureen Ryan (Physio).