National cricket team seamer Ryan Steede is confident he can shake off the effects of a lower back strain and be ready for Bermuda?s upcoming World Cricket League matches in Kenya later this month.

The lanky 31-year-old was plagued by the injury during Bermuda?s ill-fated five-week tour of the African continent in November and has been receiving special treatment from team physiotherapist Craig Brown since returning to Bermuda.

?I?m coming along pretty good at the moment. I?ve been doing a lot of fitness work and I haven?t experienced anything like what I did in Kenya . . . everything is coming along okay,? Steede told at Bermuda Cricket Board headquarters yesterday.

And such is his optimism, the Bailey?s Bay bowler plans to return to practising in the nets next week.

?Hopefully I can be assessed and given clearance to rejoin the team in training again,? Steede added. ?It?s always disappointing not to be around the boys because we have all developed a camaraderie and the coach (Gus Logie) has hired other coaches to assist with the team in Trinidad.

?So I will probably miss out on a trick or two which is disappointing. But my progress in training is coming along good, and basically it?s all up to the physiotherapist. It all depends on his word, but I feel pretty good and I?m just waiting patiently.?

Steede was originally named on a World Cup shortlist of 19 players last month, but didn?t travel to Trinidad because of the injury.

The Bermuda squad departed on Monday for a training camp in coach Logie?s homeland where they will also play a series of practice matches against local sides Wanderers, Clarke Road United and Clico Preysal who toured Bermuda last September.

Bermuda failed to beat the talented Clarke Road United side in two practice matches last year, while Clico, coached by former West Indies fast bowler Tony Gray, remained unbeaten on their five-match tour of the Island last fall.

Steede, meanwhile, will also miss the opportunity to further acquaint himself with the turf conditions in Trinidad where Bermuda will play their Group B World Cup preliminary matches against Sri Lanka, India and Bangladesh in March.

?That is probably the most disappointing part of all of this because I really worked hard for this trip,? Steede said.

?But what I?ve learned is that no matter where you play in the world, no matter what the conditions are, a good ball is a good ball.

?And as a bowler your goal is to put the ball in the right areas and keep the batsmen guessing and dictate to them where you want them to hit the ball and set your field accordingly.

?So it?s just a matter of putting the ball in the right areas because the pitches in the one-day game do favour the batsmen anyway.

?It?s all about setting your field accordingly, bowling to one side of the field and being patient.?

Steede is among a group of players who missed the trip to Trinidad through injury.

Top all-rounder Saleem Mukuddem (lower back strain), opening batsman Stephen Outerbridge (foot) and fast bowler Stefan Kelly (hamstring) have also been sidelined while teenage spinner Rodney Trott missed the trip due to school commitments.