When Kevin Tucker boards a Namibia-bound plane in ten days, he will be fulfilling a dream that could only ever have been fulfilled with the help of Gus Logie.

The left-arm fast bowler, arguably one of the fastest on the Island, is a grateful beneficiary of Logie?s open-door policy of cricket management and he couldn?t be happier about it.

He might only be playing in Division One, but the coach ? and selectors ? have based their decision to include him in the ICC Intercontinental Cup finals squad based on a magnificent Counties performance and dedication, hard work and commitment shown in the nets.

?I owe him a big thank you,? said the 26-year-old PHC man, the biggest surprise in the 13-man squad that take on the disorganised Kenyans later this month in the three-day cup semi-final.

?I bumped into Mr. Logie at Warwick Workmen?s Club a few months ago and asked if I could be included in his training squad. I just wanted to bowl in the nets for him and see what happened.

?I wanted to speak to him to ask to be a part of this because, like everyone else here, I want to be a part of the 2007 World Cup ? that?s what got me interested again.

?He said ?come down? and I went and I have been training with them ever since.?

Tucker, who was once selected in an Under-19 squad but never got as far as a representative match, has been mad about cricket since he was 12, graduating through Paget?s youth programme, on to Warwick when he was 15 and then on to PHC five years later.

Playing Division One isn?t a great way of getting into a national team but when the new coach said that everyone has got a chance of earning a place ? and you bowl with ferocity in a Western Counties game ? then anything can happen.

But even though he has impressed in nets, Tucker still didn?t think his elevation from training squad regular to African touring party member would come this quickly.

?We were at training and they were naming the squad,? said Tucker, his eyes lighting up as he revealed how his glorious moment arose.

?He went down the list one by one and I was counting down the names. And then when there was just one name left, he called out mine. It was a great feeling. Other guys came and congratulated me and wished me well, which was great.

?I?m really looking forward to going, I think it?s going to be an amazing experience. I think every cricketer wants to be involved in 2007 and I just hope that I can keep training hard and playing well and that I can make the most of any opportunities I get and hopefully I will be able to stay in the squad until then.?

Most of the four changes from the squad that qualified for Namibia with a win in the Americas section in Canada have come at the top of the order, with Curtis Jackson and Kwame Steede coming in as openers and Lionel Cann returning to the squad, bringing along his powerful batting and steady bowling.

The pace attack from Toronto, Kevin Hurdle and Ryan Steede, have been retained while Saleem Mukuddem is expected to open the bowling again as he did so successfully in qualifying for the finals, leaving Tucker likely to just be a squad player for this trip.

?Hey, I don?t mind if that?s how it works out,? said Tucker, who may get a chance to play given Bermuda are taking on Namibia in at least one one-day international if they lose to Kenya, and may even play the hosts in a one-day game after the final should they get there.

?I?m just happy to be involved in this squad. It means a lot to be able to play for your country and this is a big tournament. The experience of travelling over there and just being involved in something as big as this will be great for me.

?The guys are pretty confident. Some have talked about getting revenge on Kenya for games we played against them in the past but that was a different side then.

?But I can?t see why we couldn?t beat Kenya, we have a good squad here, we have some excellent players. I am just happy to be playing with them and hopefully I can prove myself. I know I can bowl and that?s why they picked me and if I get a chance I?m going to give it everything I?ve got.?

And as well as all his new team-mates, Tucker will have another friendly face with him on the trip ? manager El James.

Tucker, as a junior, played in the same side as the larger-than-life former BCB president and has nothing but admiration for James and knows he can rely on him for help ? something he might need on a long-haul flight to Africa when he has never flown for more than two hours before.