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Spinners could hold key to unlocking Wanderers

Spin bowling may prove to be a key factor when Bermuda's Under-19s take to the field against Connection Wanderers today in Trinidad.

In hosts Wanderers, the tourists will come up against an unknown quantity in what's anticipated to be hot and humid conditions following Thursday's heavy deluge.

But on Trinidad's notoriously slow tracks that generally assist the slower bowlers, Bermuda's hopes could rest heavily on the shoulders of spin quartet Tamauri Tucker, Chris Douglas, Tre Govia and skipper Rodney Trott who may prove a daunting proposition for their hosts on a sticky wicket.

"We are looking at using the whole four of them because we think the spinners will be very effective on the slower wickets in Trinidad where the ball tends to stay low," Bermuda Under-19 assistant coach Andre Manders reasoned.

"Spin could definitely play a factor and one of the main reasons why we chose to tour Trinidad is because the wickets there are similar to what we will encounter when we go to Malaysia for the World Cup."

Tucker and Trott are both fresh off Intercontinental Cup commitments in Kenya and Dubai with the senior national squad, and their recent experiences on the African continent bowling in similar conditions to that of the Caribbean could pay dividends as the Islanders intensify preparations for next February's World Cup commitment in Malaysia.

Cleveland off spinner Tucker improved in leaps and bounds this year and was fittingly rewarded with a call-up to senior national team duty while Trott — though noted more for his spin bowling prowess — continues to develop into a classy all-rounder.

Trott's St. George's team-mate Govia, who has already been hailed as the next Clarence Parfitt in some circles, will offer the tourists variety with his leg spin while off spinner Chris Douglas could also feature prominently in the Islanders' four-pronged spin attack.

"Chris is a player who comes on the ball and hits his line one time," coach Manders acknowledged.

With pacer Stefan Kelly unavailable for today's contest, fast bowling duties could be shared between teenage prodigy Malachi Jones and St.George's Kyle Hodsoll — both of whom also recently toured Africa with the senior national squad — or Somerset Bridge speed merchant McClaren Smith. But on a surface predicted to be slow Bermuda could look to the swing of Somerset's Greg Maybury jr or Warwick's Lamar Richardson instead.

Kelly, batsman Terryn Fray and all-rounder Deunte Darrell are due to join up with their colleagues in Trinidad today. The trio did not travel with their team-mates who departed for the Caribbean earlier this week due to academic commitments.

Bermuda's batting will be deprived of specialists batsman Fray but in the likes of Trott and Douglas the Islanders do possess alternatives capable of facing the new ball on any given day.

The Islanders' middle order is as solid as it gets, with vice-captain Jones and Somerset's Jordan DeSilva leading an assortment of all-rounders, with wicketkeeping duties for today's match going to either Regino or Pierre Smith.