Bermuda cricket can only benefit from the combination of limited 50-overs play and two-day competition, according to new national cricket coach Gus Logie.

Commenting on the format of local cricket which kicks off this Sunday with 50-overs matches, followed by the start of the two-day league on June 4, Logie said it was a combination that had been used in the Caribbean ? his country Trinidad and Tobago in particular ? for some time and had proved to be an ideal way of developing young players.

"I think many of the competitions that Bermuda are going to be involved in are of a shorter nature and obviously you will want most of your players to be versed in the limited overs game," noted Logie. "But playing two days also gives the opportunity for young players to develop in a different environment. It's useful if you have a young player learn the art of batsmanship and the patience needed to stay longer in the middle.

"Two-day cricket may not be as eye-pleasing to the fans, but certainly it is an aspect of the game that needs to be developed. Technically it will help the batsmen and also the bowlers to bowl for long spells. It will enable them to concentrate better."

The Trinidadian, who is now busy whipping Bermuda's senior national squad into shape for their ICC Trophy campaign in Ireland this summer, felt that players could deal with both formats of cricket if they adopted the right approach and concentrated on the task at hand.

He stressed that it wouldn't be easy for many players as they attempted to improve their game, but indicated that dedication and sound work ethics would reap the right results.

"I think it's always going to be a difficult adjustment for the players switching from one format to the other, but hopefully it's going to be a good adjustment because players are going to have to learn to play in different conditions and also under different rules and regulations," continued Logie.

"If you are are versatile in that respect I think you become a better player, so we are hoping that it will lead to the betterment of the individual player.

"We play similar combinations in Trinidad. In fact, most of the countries in the Caribbean have limited overs combined with various extended day competitions.

"In Trinidad we even have 30-over matches which are played primarily during mid-week afternoons, over two days like a Wednesday and a Thursday.

"There is a time for limited overs, then there are sufficient longer matches lasting three and four days in Trinidad . . . I am talking about championship competitions.

"Playing different formats, getting a player to become familiar with them helps to breed a different type of player.

"If a player can play both it means he is learning and if he makes the adjustment well enough he has just become a better player which is something that we obviously all want to see."