Former Bermuda national team skipper Charlie Marshall yesterday lashed out over his last-minute expulsion from the Island?s ICC Trophy squad.

Denying that he had ever caused ?disturbing and disruptive behaviour? during practice sessions, as alleged by Bermuda Cricket Board (BCB), Marshall offered his support to his former national team colleagues ? but not before giving his side of the story over events which ultimately led to his dismissal.

The Social Club player/coach was expelled from the national squad for disciplinary reasons stemming from a ?spat? with skipper Clay Smith last week in training and, according to BCB chief executive Neil Speight, for other underlying issues which Board officials took into consideration.

Speaking candidly to , Marshall explained: ?I was walking off the field after I was given out and I said to Clay ?I need to have a word with you?. I told him that word had gotten back to me that he wanted to drop me because I hadn?t been putting the time in training.

?I told him that certain individuals had said that he wanted to drop me and so I asked him how could he make a statement like that when the selectors already knew I had other commitments with my job and with Social Club. I was concerned that he (Smith) would even make a statement to others that he wanted to drop me from the squad.?

According to national coach Gus Logie?s report on the incident, Marshall became ?disgruntled? when skipper Smith queried the veteran?s attendance record in training.

Marshall continued: ?Ninety percent of it is because I wasn?t training as regularly as those guys wanted me to. But what I can?t understand is the fact that before the team was even picked I had the same training programme. Now all of a sudden my training attendance becomes an issue.

?The selectors were aware of my responsibilities at Social Club and with my job. My task at Social Club is also important because it is the first time ever the club has been in the Premier Division and not only am I responsible for developing the club?s senior cricket team, but also helping to develop their Under-16 junior team as well.

?But I have always been tuned in whenever it comes to my country and done well representing my country. I have always put Bermuda first and foremost.

?He (Smith) never trained that much when I was captain and it?s really unfortunate all of these issues about training were not in place when I was captain because several players including Clay would not have made the team then. But that never bothered me because I have always supported the skipper.?

Marshall, who captained Bermuda to International Youth Tournament glory in 1979, has represented Bermuda in the ICC Trophy tournament on four previous occasions. And his wealth of experience could be missed in Ireland.

?I honestly feel that it?s a sad decision they (BCB) have made,? he said. ?I think my experience is definitely going to be needed in the tournament. On previous tours I always had some of the younger players come to me for advice ? especially when we were batting together.

?So I think my experience is going to be a big miss.?

Marshall now feels as though he has been used as a ?scapegoat? to find reasons for including in-form batsman Chris Foggo ? initially overlooked for selection.

Foggo had been named only to a short list of ICC Trophy standby players, despite his prolific form with the bat.

?I honestly feel this whole thing is personal because from the outset I always felt the selectors made a mistake by not selecting Chris (Foggo),? Marshall added.

?In my opinion Chris should have been selected from the beginning. If the Board are going to spend money on our youngsters by sending them overseas to training camps like OJ (Pitcher) and Delyone (Borden), then why leave Chris out? He also attended that training camp in South Africa (Nelson Mandela International Cricket Academy). But now I am being used as a scapegoat and this is what really bothers me.?

Marshall also took issue with the findings of coach Logie?s recent report which labelled the player as ?disruptive?.

?What behaviours are they talking about?? he queried. ?I was fine in Trinidad and in Bermuda but when Gus returns I will be meeting with him to address these issues because Clay knows I was prepared to support him one hundred and fifty percent in Ireland.

?I don?t understand how Gus can say that I was disrupting the team?s harmony because when I trained the guys always felt comfortable around me. I am totally against that statement and very concerned about claims I was being disruptive at training sessions.

?However, it?s their (BCB) choice to expel me from the team and so I have to respect their wishes. But I am also very happy for Chris because he should have been there in the first instance.

?It?s sad that I have been omitted from the squad. I think the team are going to miss out on a lot of runs because I was mentally prepared and ready for the tournament. But I am still confident Bermuda will qualify for the World Cup without me. And I wish them the best of luck.?