Former Bermuda national cricket coach Mark Harper has struck a one-year deal to coach the Turks and Caicos Islands, writes Colin Thompson.

The 50-year-old Harper has been presented with the task of overseeing the Caribbean island's 2008 Stanford Twenty20 preparations as well as implementing a youth development programme over the next 12 months.

Only last week the Guyanese national was listed among those thought to have applied for the vacant coaching position with the West Indies - a post once held by Harper's brother, Roger, who only recently stood down as Kenya's national coach.

During his three-year term at Bermuda Cricket Board (BCB), Harper was influential in the success of the Island's Under-15 national squad that captured two successive Americas Championships and the reintroduction of two-day cricket in the domestic schedule, as well as coaching the senior national team to 2005 ICC Trophy qualification in Ireland.

Current national coach Gus Logie succeeded Harper in the spring of 2005.

Meanwhile, it is understood former West Indies and Kenya coach Roger Harper has expressed interest in coaching St. Lucia.