Bermudian cricket came of age in 2005 thanks to a succession of historic feats which warmed the hearts of the thousands who follow the Island's beloved summer game.

Clay Smith's men began the year as only the third best team in the Americas region and rank outsiders for a place at the World Cup. They finished, with one or two exceptions, on a glorious high: as regional Intercontinental Cup champions and with one of the five highly-coveted qualifier spots in the West Indies secured.

It was, by anybody's standards, a momentous 12 months which has ultimately prompted a seismic shift in the landscape of the domestic game.

The Bermuda Cricket Board (BCB) finally got their hands on the requisite finances to make their ambitious plans a reality, although not even in their wildest dreams could they have anticipated the extent of Government's post-qualification generosity.

The $11 million over four years is the largest investment any sport has ever received from the state, while the International Cricket Council (ICC) is to pour yet more money into the governing body's already swollen coffers. As BCB chief executive Neil Speight has said, used in the appropriate way, such investment should take Bermudian cricket to unprecedented heights.

The first three months of 2005 saw the national squad under the temporary charge of Wendell Smith before former West Indies player and coach Gus Logie signed up to a six-month coaching contract on April 1. Together with captain Clay Smith and vice-captain Janeiro Tucker, the diminutive Trinidadian set about transforming the squad from a disaffected rabble into a committed, harmonious unit.

It was this unbreakable team spirit - uncharacteristic of recent Bermuda teams - that was the defining strength of the World Cup campaign. Even on the brief tour of England which preceded the ICC Trophy, where Bermuda suffered an embarrassing two-wicket defeat at the hands of club side Lloyds and looked anything like a team on the brink of World Cup qualification, the players seemed imbued with an unshakeable belief in their own destiny.

The tournament could not have got off to a worse start, however, as Bermuda crashed to a 97-run defeat in their first match at the hands of a powerful Ireland side, while losing their inspirational skipper in the process courtesy of a torn hamstring.

But under Smith's deputy Janeiro Tucker, Bermuda roared back into contention thanks to a nail-biting win over UAE and a resounding 93-run victory against Denmark. With the match against Uganda rained off without a ball being bowled, Bermuda's hopes ultimately depended on a positive result against their regional rivals the United States at The Lawn Cricket Club in Waringstown.

Despite the high-stakes and the incredible tension, the team delivered magnificently, pounding the Americans into submission to prompt wild and emotional celebrations among the Bermudian contingent.

And while two more defeats to Scotland and Canada ensured only a fourth placed finish, Bermuda were already certain of a World Cup berth for the first time in their cricketing history.

Basking in the adoration of a nation, Bermuda then moved on to the altogether different challenge of three-day cricket in the Intercontinental Cup and September assignments against Canada and the Cayman Islands in Toronto. And despite being dismissed for only 125 by the host nation on the first day, the team fought back to pull off an unlikely 49-run triumph. By thrashing the Caymans a few days later, Bermuda were sitting pretty at the top of the Americas region and off to Namibia for the semi-finals.

A hard fought draw in the southern African nation against Kenya saw Bermuda eliminated on bonus points, but the overwhelming sense was that Bermuda could cope with life on the fringes of international cricket's highest level.

The tour ended on a bitter note, however, as accusations of racist sledging and intimidatory bowling from Namibia in the last of two ‘friendly' one-day games saw Logie summon his players from the field in protest.

November witnessed the surprise arrival of Glamorgan left-hander David Hemp, who was born on the Island but returned to England when he was only five. While the vast majority have welcomed the 37-year-old with open arms, a small but vocal minority made up mostly of cricket's elder statesmen and former administrators have expressed concern at the inclusion of a foreigner in the national team set-up. Whatever your view, with 22 first class centuries to his name Hemp is sure to provide the runs that have been sorely lacking at the top of the order all season long.

Domestically the story of the season was the return of the Cup Match trophy to the East End for the first time since 1997.

Set only 120 runs to win on the second day, even on a crumbling pitch a Somerset win should have been a formality. But young quick George O'Brien Jr. had other ideas, ripping the guts out of the Somerset top order with an inspired spell of fast bowling from the eastern end. The holders were eventually all out for 94 and the field awash with blue and white.

Unfortunately, this sensational victory was overshadowed by some of the most worst scenes you are ever likely to witness on a cricket pitch.

St. George's skipper Herbie Bascome stood accused of repeated xenophobic taunts by Somerset allrounders Saleem Mukuddem and Wendell White while O'Brien was involved in an violent spat with Stephen Outerbridge. Provoked by two controversial umpiring decisions, players from both sides were enraged, some pushing and shoving each other during heated confrontations on the outfield.

The fallout was ugly and regrettable. What should have been a celebration of cricket's new found status on the most important two days on the domestic sporting calendar had been turned into a disgraceful farce by irresponsible players and weak umpires with apparently little respect for the the game's code of conduct.

O'Brien and Outerbridge tried to repair the damage by issuing public apologies, while Bascome was eventually sacked as Bermuda's Under 19 head coach. Precisely what steps are to be taken to ensure events like these never happen again are still far from clear.