The bus drivers of Bermuda are getting behind David Hemp?s decision to offer his services to the Island?s cricket programme.

And barmen, bus passengers and those he has come across in the cricketing fraternity have also offered the Bermuda-born county star positive comments and praise.

?It?s amazing the reaction I have received,? said Hemp, the scorer of 12,000 first-class runs who is currently working with the Board to earn his 100 days cricketing work requirement to make him eligible for all international cricket tournaments for Bermuda.

?People have been great. Pretty much since the first interview with me appeared in the paper, people have been recognising me and wishing me well.?

And a large proportion of those well-wishers have been the drivers of the number ten or 11 bus, which Hemp uses to get into his temporary Cedar Avenue office from his apartment at Crawl Point.

?Wearing my Board shirt people put two and two together and a lot of the bus drivers have offered me words of support, ?It?s good to have you here? and ?welcome aboard?,? continued Hemp, whose parents, who left here when he was five, returned for a two-week holiday over the weekend.

?And it is the other passengers as well. I even had a older guy the other day who recognised me and moved from the middle of the bus up to the back to sit next to me and talk to me about cricket and how pleased he was that I was here.

?It is nice to get such a reaction from both the locals and a few ex-pats I have met at events like the rugby (World Rugby Classic) and a cricket function at one of the clubs over the weekend.?

Hemp has also received support specifically in relation to an article where a number of former players and administrators expressed concern about his presence here.

?Yeah, a few people said they had seen the article and that I shouldn?t let it worry me,? he added.

?They said they were backing me and I should ignore what was written. It is nice to hear that from people and it has given me even more incentive to do well here.?

Hemp is currently helping out at the Board ? on an unpaid basis ? as part of the restructuring process taking place since Government promised to inject $11 million into the sport.