A former Bermuda Cricket Board president has labelled as "unfair" criticism aimed at the Island's senior cricketers who failed to support the recent tour by Barbados.

El James, Board chief from 1997 until two years ago, said it was unjustified for the public to ridicule the players and the Board for the state of senior cricket, particularly the national team and the perceived lack of interest from players invited to be a part of squads.

James pointed out that Bermuda had a promising youth development programme back in the late 1980s and boasted a solid national team led by talented seniors such as Lionel Cann, Clay Smith and Del Hollis. However, the youth programme was allowed to stagnate with the result that few youngsters were groomed for the senior squad.

"I honestly feel that once the youth cricket programme became stagnant in 1987 it was inevitable to see what is currently on the table before us with no new young players coming forward to replace the older players," said James.

"We had the last Youth Shell Tournament in 1987, that's when we had our last organised youth team that went to Canada. in that group we had Janeiro Tucker, Lionel Cann, Del Hollis, Gregg Foggo, Clay Smith, Jason Lewis, Dean Minors, Dwayne Leverock, Cal Dill etc. But, sadly, that was the last time we had an infusion of new blood into this game, that's where the development stopped, right there for the next 13-14 years."

Since then Bermuda has struggled at national level, said James.

He said he couldn't blame some of the senior players for becoming disinterested as they were never challenged for a spot in the national squad.

"I know when I took over the Board I realised I was fighting a losing battle, there were teams that were struggling to field players, they were unable to put out full team at times, teams like Somerset Bridge, Social Club and a few others, who were thinking about pulling out of the league.

"So there was only one thing to do, we had to start right from the basics, it wasn't about changing any formats, it wasn't about introducing limited overs or open cricket, it was about development and survival. And we are still in that mode," he said.

"We couldn't bring in tours like people wanted, we had to concentrate on youth development by forming junior leagues and get our national youth teams involved in competitions run by the Americas Cup etc. and that's what we did.

"Progress certainly has been made. Five years ago we didn't have players being groomed to replace those in the senior squad but now you can see some prospects coming along. Previously we've had to keep the seniors in order to maintain a senior squad, but we can see this changing in the near future thanks to our youth development schemes."

He said that the picture was also changing at the club level, noting that many teams, including Somerset Bridge, were now fielding young players and were no longer struggling to get 11 players together for a match.

While admitting that it was pleasing to see youngsters coming into the game at club level, James recognised the enthusiasm that some of them had shown while playing at national level also.

He cited the Barbados tour and the Brian Lara visit when players like Jacobi Robinson and O.J.Pitcher excelled.

"When you look at their performances it clearly shows that they had the attitude of the older players, they were out there to win, they didn't care about who they were playing against, pride was there and that winning spirit was there. That's the sort of attitude we have to instil in our players," said James.

"In 1997 when I first took over at the Board we sent our national team to the Red Stripe tournament in the Caribbean and we almost beat Jamaica and players were pleased with that, completely satisfied. But if you have a true winning spirit, coming second is not satisfactory.

"That's been the attitude of too many of our senior squad members who have gone out of here the last ten years, they have learned how to lose and lose happily. We need to get back to teaching our players how to win and I think we are on track with what we are doing with the youngsters today."

The sort of criticism that players and Bermuda cricket has been receiving has not really made any impact because not many solutions have been offered, said James.

But should the Board continue to press forward with plans to concentrate on the youth and get them involved as much as possible in international tournaments then the future of Bermuda cricket is not as bleak as many suggest, he claimed.

"I've heard some people fire criticism at the players, others firing at the Board but I haven't heard anybody analyse the game as it is now, as it was five years ago, ten years ago and really tell the public exactly what is happening.

"Everybody is coming up with recommendations of changing formats, changing this and that because in their view the Board is not doing what they should do, the players are not doing what they should do. But if you look at the game, and this is what the Board is doing and they have analysed it in the last five to six years, they have taken a very analytical approach.

"From when I was there it was a matter of development first and that's where the focus should be. Some of the criticism you hear are from people with personal agendas, some with them against the Board etc. All of those people who are truly interested in the game of cricket must come together for the good of the game, stop sitting in the back being hindsight critics and saying after the fact that this and that should have been done and coming up with solutions," he said.

"We heard some tremendous comments from George Bremar who had no hidden agenda. He talks straight from the heart and he is normally talking cricket sense. We need positive input because right now we have to ensure the survival of the game.

"It's about starting right at the basics, to get new blood into the game. That lack of youth development has plagued us for a while and will continue to do so a bit longer. That's the basic problem.

"Anyone with any foresight seven or eight years ago could see this coming. If we hadn't introduced youth development in 1997 we would have been in a state of extinction.

"If we stay the course, like Clarence Parfitt says, we don't need to play against teams we know we cannot beat.

"Look at boxing, if I have a promising fighter who is going to be a world beater, I am not going to put him up against somebody who is going to beat him. For a while I am going to match him against people he can beat, I am going to teach him how to win and then I take him to the top.

"This is what the Board is doing with our youngsters, development must take place and then we can move forward."