David Ferreira hopes to conquer a task of Goliath proportions this summer ? convincing national team selectors that he?s worthy of claiming a spot in Bermuda?s ICC World Cup squad.

The 23-year-old batsman/wicketkeeper, Rhodes Scholarship recipient and lawyer is nearing the end of his second year of studies at Oxford University in England.

A former player with Southampton Rangers, Ferreira has represented Oxford in golf as well as cricket.

Since leaving Rangers, he?s transferred to nearby Warwick Workmen?s Club where he hopes to shine with the bat this summer and catch the eye of selectors.

?When I return home I?m hoping to play as much as I can and score as many runs as I possibly can and then hopefully I will be in the fray,? said Ferreira, speaking from London yesterday.

Ferreira has enjoyed some solid knocks at the crease, most recently an unbeaten 89 (four sixes and six fours) in a losing cause playing for Oxford against Loughborough University in the British Sports Association Tournament earlier this week.

The tournament consists of three divisions comprised of six teams who compete in a round-robin format with the the top three from each group advancing to the next round.

?We were on the hands of a thorough pasting and unfortunately I couldn?t put enough runs on the board. Everyone seemed to be getting out around me,? Ferreira said. ?They (Loughborough) were just a really good side.?

He also recently scored 42 runs against Combined Services before a ?mental lapse? denied him a half-century.

?I was batting and then unfortunately I missed a straight one on the first delivery after the drinks break,? Ferreira explained.

Oxford have failed to impress, managing only one win so far in three matches in the tournament.

Yet Ferreira says those results haven?t had an affect on is form.

?I have made some runs recently and feel comfortable at the crease and have been working on my technique every week with my coach,? he added. ?I?m also feeling quite confident fielding behind the stumps so things have been going along quite well.

?It?s a totally different environment to play cricket over here after playing in Bermuda for a few years. Here the wickets are more grassy and get a bit more bouncy in the summer.

?The difference between playing at the level where we (in Bermuda) play at now and the international level is that you have to have the technique both going forward and back playing on different surfaces against bowlers who are not just quick or move the ball, but are also intelligent and will figure out your weaknesses very quickly and try to exploit them.

?So you have to look at people who have got a lot of mental strength as well as good solid technique they can rely upon when things get tough.?

Naturally, the early order bat is delighted to see his country advance to next year?s ICC World Cup in the West Indies.

?I think this is one of the most fantastic things to happen in for Bermuda sports in many, many years,? said Ferriera, scheduled to officially launch a law career in the UK next September.

?And to be honest I really think this is vindication for the amount of talent we have on the Island. We are a small country of 60,000 odd people and we are still able to qualify for cricket?s highest stage. I think this is just a testament to the ability of some of the younger cricketers and a lot of the other players who have been around for many years.

?I think it?s brilliant and really hope the team can go out there (to the World Cup), hold their heads high and do a really superb job out there. And hopefully everyone in Bermuda gets behind them.?

Glamorgan?s Bermuda-born batsman David Hemp broke free a scoring slump on Wednesday when he scored 38 off 80 balls (five fours) during a 102-minute stay at the crease playing against Leicestershire.

Prior to Wednesday?s knock, Hemp had failed to score a single run in three visits to the crease.