Clarence Parfitt has urged Bermuda?s cricketers not to get bent out of shape over recent defeats to a watered-down Namibian side on the African continent.

Describing Bermuda as a ?small fish in a big pool? in terms of playing at the international level, the former St.George?s Cup Match star bowler encouraged his countrymen to get back on their feet, dust themselves down and stay the course.

Parfitt said the Namibian experience was a mere sample of the challenges Bermuda will face playing cricket on the international scene.

He told from his home in Scotland: ?Things are going to get tougher and Bermuda will have to roll up her sleeves, remain committed and adhere to long-term goals.

?First and foremost the players must want to represent Bermuda and not themselves or their clubs.

?We have now gone to the international level where individualism comes last. And the way things work at this level is that you represent your country first, your club and then yourself.

?The players will have to be physically and mentally fit and prepared to give their all to their country and stick it out because success is not going to come overnight.?

It could take the Island another five to ten years before it reaps the benefits of a long-term development programme, warned Parfitt.

?And if we can?t wait for that long then we?ll never make it to the top because it just doesn?t work like that,? he added.

Parfitt highlighted some of local cricket?s grey areas ? discipline, a lack of respect and over-inflated egos.

He claimed: ?What has been happening in Bermuda over the past ten to 15 years is those players who do fairly good think they are so good that nobody can tell them anything. They think they are too big for the game.

?There?s no respect for umpires or even fellow team-mates and we have to get over this.?

Parfitt used the on-the-field shenanigans of Somerset?s Stephen Outerbridge and St.George?s? George O?Brien jr during this summer?s Cup Match to illustrate what he perceives to be lack of discipline in today?s players.

?That was a disgrace and if that?s the way players are going to be then they should not be representing Bermuda. If they are doing these sorts of things here, then what?s going to stop them when they travel overseas?

?The problem is that there?s been a lack of discipline over the years. We?ve all been too nice to one another and refused to discipline players because they might miss Cup Match or County Cup or an important league match.

?We must begin teaching our youngsters the right way to play cricket and having a long-term development programme is the key.

?It?s your future and is vital because if you don?t have one in place then you will fall right back down in the gutter. If you don?t have a junior structure set up in the schools and clubs then you?re not going to gain anything in the long-term.?

In order for Bermuda to gain international success further down the road, all those with a vested interest in the sport would have to unite for a common cause, said Parfitt.

He also believed Bermuda Cricket Board was generally headed in the right direction.

?From what I?ve gathered so far the Board have mapped out a long-term plan but success isn?t going to come overnight. It?s going to take all hands on deck to get there. And make no mistake about it, there will be some tough times ahead,? he warned.

Still regarded today as the best bowler Bermuda has ever produced, Parfitt touched briefly upon the Island?s lack of penetration with the ball in Namibia.

?The object of bowling in limited overs cricket is to stop the opponent from scoring runs, and not only to knock the stumps over. This is why Dwayne (Leverock) is so successful because he bowls a steady line and length. But the majority of our bowlers seem to go at great lengths attempting to dismiss batsmen as opposed to containing them.

?The key to one day cricket now is bowlers bowling line and length.?

As for batting, Parfitt added: ?The pitches in Bermuda are so small that a thick edge goes for a six. But whenever our guys play try to go for the same shots playing overseas on the bigger fields they tend to get caught out.

?I think our guys should concentrate more on picking up the singles and doubles all along the ground and not hitting across the line. If you are playing 50 overs, which is 300 balls, then a run a ball adds up to 300 runs plus the extras and boundaries which will come.

?Right now we have a few batsmen who are getting stuck in but I think some of the other batsmen continue to throw their wickets away.?