Outgoing national cricket coach Mark Harper will not be replaced until the new year, Bermuda Cricket Board confirmed this week.

Harper, who will be leaving the Island at the end of the month, was informed at the beginning of August that his employers would not be renewing his contract ? with the BCB stating they were not in a financial position to offer the former Guyanese first-class player a fixed long term deal.

It is understood, however, that the governing body are in the process of forming a special committee ? to be in place as early as next week ? which will be charged with the responsibility of identifying a successor to take over in January.

Meanwhile, a core of experienced local coaches including, among others, Allan Douglas, Winston Reid, Andre Manders and George Cannonier, have proposed that they look after the national team in the interim, with Douglas stressing yesterday that World Cup qualification would only become a reality "if we all come together" for the betterment of the national team.

Furthermore, BCB chief executive Neil Speight said that the Board were "seriously considering" an overseas tour in the new year, with Guyana, Trinidad or Jamaica the likely destinations.

However, any suggestion that Bermuda would use the contacts provided by South African Saleem Mukuddem to arrange a winter tour to Cape Town was dismissed on the basis of cost.

"The possibility of using Saleem to go to South Africa has been discussed in a very casual way," Speight said.

"But I know having organised the travel of the two cricket scholars to the cricket academy in Port Elizabeth that the cost of the flight would be prohibitive. At the moment what we have in mind is to send the team down to one of the countries in the Caribbean for around 10 to 12 days for a training camp and to play in about four games.

"This would be a more realistic option given our budget while also ensuring that the team is properly prepared."

Speight revealed also that the Board would be looking to bring a foreign team to Bermuda around April or May to provide Clay Smith's side with further match practice ? followed by a pre-ICC Trophy tour of the UK two weeks before the tournament gets underway.

"We are obviously aware that the team needs to play in as many games as possible before the tournament in Ireland and we will be endeavouring to make sure this happens."