NOBODY will be getting too excited about the national cricket team?s performance in Trinidad over the past couple of weeks.

Between now and next year?s World Cup it?s hard to imagine how the squad could face weaker opposition than they did in this latest jaunt.

Indeed, in just a few weeks? time, Bermuda will return to Trinidad to take on Canada and Zimbabwe in full one-day internationals when the task will be eminently more challenging.

Yet three wins, a tie and a loss isn?t a record to be sneered at, especially from a squad who hadn?t won a one-day game in their previous 10 attempts.

And coach Gus Logie will no doubt take a lot of positives from a trip that was always billed as a training exercise, offering an opportunity for a number of youngsters to show their worth.

For the most part, the less experienced players in the team gave a good account of themselves.

The likes of Treadwell Gibbons jr, Stephen Bremar jr and Azeem Pitcher are unlikely to be the first names Logie inks onto his team sheet in the matches that matter over the next year, but each of them seemingly showed enough in Trinidad to suggest that with continuing improvement over the summer months there?s no reason why they can?t force their way into his final squad.

Without captain Clay Smith, still recovering from knee surgery, honeymooning vice-captain Janeiro Tucker and all-rounder Saleem Mukuddem as well as Ryan Steede, OJ Pitcher and Delyone Borden, all of whom played a part in last year?s ICC Trophy success, this was very much an experimental squad.

However, that could also be said about almost every team Bermuda have sent out since leaving Ireland last year.

What has become clear is that opportunities to play in next year?s Word Cup exist for any player who?s prepared to make the necessary sacrifices and put in the work.

Logie may have as many as half a dozen players whom he sees as forming the nucleus of the squad but in just about every department, from the top of the order to the opening attack, there?s room for improvement.

And the players who want it most are likely to be those who ultimately prevail.

For any local cricketer with ambition to play on the biggest stage of all, they?ll never get a better chance.

* * * *

LATROYA Darrell (gold and silver), Arantxa King (silver) and Matthew Spring (bronze) should all be commended for their performances at the Carifta Games in Guadeloupe over the weekend.

But the overall team performance wasn?t anything to shout about.

In past years our medal return has been considerably higher.

According to one Bermuda Track and Field Association insider, the relative failure this time around shouldn?t have come as any surprise.

As many as six of those who travelled to Guadeloupe, our source tells us, failed to meet Carifta qualifying standards, while at least four youngsters who did make the standard were left behind ? all as a result of a bizarre BTFA policy which refuses to embrace those athletes who prefer not to train with the national coach.

The problem, of course, isn?t new but it could be easily solved.

New policy. New coach.

What?s difficult about that?