Dear Sir,

What a pleasant surprise on my fortnightly scan through website to find that the Bermuda Cricket Board has Lionel Thomas as one of its selectors for the national team.

While it is disappointing to see Winston Reid depart the scene because of work and other commitments, a dreary night watching Burnley and Sunderland slug it out in the Coca-Cola Championship was brightened considerably with the observation that my favourite cricketer of all time has offered his wisdom to the national cause.

And with Charlie Marshall still involved in the national programme ? how does he do it? ? there is actually a player in Clay Smith's squad who was active during Thomas's heyday. Others, such as Albert Steede and Clay Smith, know him more by reputation, although a teenaged Steede played with him at Devonshire Rec towards the end of the Antiguan's illustrious career.

Otherwise, the majority of the young whippersnappers will just have to take it from me that they have a good man casting his eye over them, someone who is to be respected, admired, and even feared if you get on his wrong side. Put it this way, I'd much rather get on the wrong side of El James.

So far, so good in the preparations then. Pardon me if I don't get my hopes up just yet. I'll wait until a final squad is settled upon before considering whether Bermuda can finally get over the hump and reach the World Cup.

There appears to be a strong core of experience mixed with players of promise but Bermuda being Bermuda, you never know. There's always some unexpected twist, this week's case in point being the withdrawal/exclusion of Glenn Blakeney.

After perusing Gayle Alleyne's story, I found myself trying to read between the lines. Losing 15 pounds for someone of Blakeney's build is saying something, i.e. that he must be in terrific shape. That being the case, I find it incredible that a sensible selection committee would approve his exclusion because he was available to get into such "terrific shape" only once a week. Especially when the basis for the national squad work at this stage is physical fitness and fielding. Something doesn't wash and I stand convinced that this is a sensible selection committee.

Yours in sport