Employers are being urged by the International Cricket Council to be as flexible as possible when it comes to allowing their staff time off to represent the national team.

The ICC?s high performance manager Richard Done said this week that he sympathised with the huge time demands now being placed on the five, largely amateur, teams that qualified for next year?s World Cup.

But he hopes employers in the private sector will ?look at the bigger picture? and make the necessary arrangements to allow those affected to play for their country on the grandest cricketing stage.

The Australian?s comments come on the back of concern at the Bermuda Cricket Board that some of the national team players who work in the private sector will not be able to play on a consistent basis because of work commitments.

Those who work for the civil service or in the public education system are not likely to be affected.

But allrounder Saleem Mukuddem ? an accountant ? has already been told by his employer that they cannot justify giving him the required time off and he is in the process of changing jobs.

Left-handed batsman Azeem Pitcher was originally scheduled to make his international debut against the United Arab Emirates in late January but was forced to withdraw because of work.

And within the past week it emerged that seamer Kevin Hurdle?s involvement in the ten-day training camp in Trinidad which starts early next month is also in doubt ? although the BCB are talking to his employer to see if a compromise can be reached.

The squad is already seriously depleted, with skipper Clay Smith still recovering from a knee operation and vice-captain Janeiro Tucker away on his honeymoon.

Promising young fast bowler George O?Brien Jr ? who would have been picked after returning from a three-month stint playing cricket in Australia ? is nursing a back injury while Mukuddem is certain to remain at home as well.

?We are well aware that the top Associate nations are being asked to play a lot more cricket than has ever been the case before,? Done said during his visit to the Island earlier this week to assess Bermuda?s ongoing preparations for next year.

?The situation is a tricky one and I appreciate that giving their employees such a large amount of time off could be difficult for most companies, particularly if they have a small staff.

?What I would say in Bermuda?s case is that local companies might like to consider what a significant achievement it was to qualify for the World Cup and what it means to the country as a whole to be able to play in such a major tournament.

?They clearly have to be mindful of their commercial interests but I would urge them to be flexible if they can be.?

Meanwhile BCB president Reggie Pearman said the governing body was ?working very closely? with all the relevant employers to ensure any conflicts were resolved to everybody?s satisfaction.