FROM hero to zero. That was the case for Bermuda's opening batsman Chris Douglas at the Under-19 World Cup in Malaysia.

Douglas was sent home yesterday for disciplinary reasons. The Bermuda Cricket Board said the decision to send Douglas home was taken by tour management.

Arnold Manders, Director of Cricket Development, will accompany the 18-year-old Douglas back to Bermuda.

Reggie Pearman, president of the BCB, said yesterday: "I am very disappointed that Christopher's actions have led to him having to be removed from this tour.

"Nevertheless, the BCB sets appropriately high standards of behaviour both on and off the field for all its teams. All squad members receive a Tour Standards document before they leave and regular meetings are held with parents to ensure that everybody appreciates what is expected of them when they represent their country.

"The Board has an obligation to all its stakeholders to maintain standards, particularly now that we are competing regularly on the world stage. Once the squad has returned and the executive committee has received full reports from the tour management a decision will be made whether or not any further action is required."

This is not the first time Douglas has been sent back to Bermuda following bad behaviour at an overseas tournament.

Last summer the teenage all-rounder was sent home early from the Sir Gary Sobers International Schools Tournament in Barbados after serving a three-match ban for insubordination.

The loss of Douglas will no doubt please Ireland who take on Bermuda today in a Plate (Consolation) match. Last week Bermuda recorded their first victory of the tournament when they beat Ireland by 20 runs with Douglas being named man of the match for scoring 27 runs and taking 5-40. If Bermuda win today's match they will play Zimbabwe tomorrow.

Ireland have yet to win a match in Malaysia and their coach Brian O' Rourke is under pressure.

He said yesterday: "It's definitely a must-win game for us. We didn't perform to our capabilities last time around, but we've a chance to rectify that, and I'm confident we can do it.

"We've been working hard in practice this week, and I can see a real improvement in the squad. A win here would set us up for a game with Zimbabwe on Saturday, and a chance of beating a Test nation."

O'Rourke this week slammed his players for their performance in this World Cup.

He said: "What's been so frustrating for me out here is that I've had to go back to basics too often ¿ at times it's been like dealing with an Under-13 team.

"Run the first quick, play straight and so on. It doesn't seem to be registering ¿ that's just so frustrating ¿ you'd like to think they would know these things coming to a World Cup."

Back in Ireland those comments were not treated kindly with fans bombarding a popular web site with criticism of the coach and the timing of his remarks ahead of the match against Bermuda. The web site said that many of the fans' comments were "not polite enough to print".

This is Bermuda's first outing at the Under-19 World Cup. They were badly beaten by Bangladesh in the opening match losing by 178 runs and then England inflicted more misery on the side when they beat Bermuda by 10 wickets. Bermuda had their historic first win of the tournament last week beating Ireland by eight wickets but then were trounced again by fellow Associate member Papua New Guinea who won by seven wickets.

Cheryl Lyn Amini, Papua New Guinea's team manager, said of that victory: "It was a good performance from our team. We bowled really well and displayed some tight fielding to restrict Bermuda. We knew when it came to our turn to bat we could surpass the target. I don't want to sound arrogant but it wasn't really hard for us."

That victory over Bermuda was also historic for Papua New Guinea who had previously lost each of their 18 matches in their four previous appearances in this tournament.

It will surely be a boost for the sport in the extremely poor country in which the majority of the players have never played on a turf wicket before because there isn't a single turf facility in the country.

Vic Williams, who is an employee of Queensland Cricket and has been associated with developing the sport in Papua New Guinea for the last two years, said: "There are no turf wicket facilities in Port Moresby ¿ they play on concrete wickets with mats rolled out on the top."

And Williams said it was tough to get the players to concentrate for the one-day matches.

"They don't get tested for 50 overs in the club cricket that they play. The boys can play good cricket but in short patches. So they need to string those patches together and play good cricket over a long period of time.

"It's about mental concentration and the ability to keep that intensity and concentration going over a long period of time. It's a big learning curve, to learn how to put together three sessions in the field and then three sessions with the bat."