Treadwell Gibbons jr could be the answer to Bermuda?s batting woes at the top of the order, according to Arbroath Cricket Club executive Clarence Parfitt.

Parfitt played an integral role in having Gibbons play professionally for the Scottish club last summer.

And based on what he observed, Cup Match?s all-time leading wicket taker believes Gibbons ? who plays locally for Western Stars ? has what it takes to make the grade.

?Bermuda is crying out for opening bats and here we have a young opener who should be given a shot at making the team,? Parfitt said. ?I have spoken to Logie (national coach Gus Logie) about him and seen him (Gibbons) out here (Scotland) where he spent some time and learned how to play.?

When contacted yesterday, Logie declined to speak at length over the matter but did confirm he personally invited Gibbons to attend practise sessions with the squad.

With Bermuda having been thrust on the international scene following last summer?s successful ICC Trophy World Cup qualifiers in Ireland, Parfitt said the Island could ill-afford to be playing with makeshift openers in the team.

Since last July?s campaign, national team selectors have gone with eight different openers in a bid to solidify the top of the order.

?Some of the openers we had in Dubai were absolutely unbelievable,? Parfitt added, alluding to the likes of middle order bats Dean Minors, Lionel Cann and Jekon Edness who each opened Bermuda?s innings against United Arab Emirates last month.

It was a tour which saw Bermuda slump to five straight defeats and again expose a vulnerability in the batting department.

Yet Parfitt believes Gibbons can help alleviate the problem.

?He has lots of promise and is prepared to listen to instruction,? he said. ?He changed his style (batting technique) over here because he had to adjust to playing on different and slower wickets. Overall I thought he batted well.?

?Everyone over here liked Tready and got on extremely well with him. And I think he learned a lot from the experience.?

Chairman of national team selectors Arnold Manders said yesterday: ?Nobody has actually been ruled out for selection at this stage. Decisions to add players that were not included on the initial list to train with the squad are decisions for the selection committee to make.?