Bermuda will take on Uganda in a friendly 50 overs contest today in Nairobi, Kenya without three key members who team officials have decided to rest ahead of Monday’s opening World Cricket League clash with Kenya.

Batsman Clay Smith, wicketkeeper-batsman Dean Minors and pace ace Kevin Hurdle will all sit on the sidelines during today’s match.

After arriving in Nairobi late Thursday night, Bermuda’s cricketers were promptly summoned to a 6 a.m. pool workout followed by afternoon team discussions and net and fielding sessions at the Gymkhana Field.

Bermuda’s squad for today’s friendly is as follows: Irving Romaine (capt), Saleem Mukuddem, David Hemp, Stephen Outerbridge, Kwame Tucker (wicketkeeper), Arthur Pitcher jr, Malachi Jones, Lionel Cann, Delyone Borden, Steffan Kelly, Dwayne Leverock.

Speaking from Kenya yesterday, team manager Lionel Tannock told The Royal Gazette: “Everyone was in the pool at 6 a.m. because they understand we must to hit the ground running. We want to win this thing (World Cricket League) and so we are not here for fun and games.

“It was a warm day today and the guys are a little tired from going through different time changes. But we intend to get some good rest tonight and then hit the road running in the morning.”

Today’s match will provide coach Gus Logie with a good opportunity to assess opener Stephen Outerbridge — whose luggage arrived on a later flight to Nairobi yesterday — and wicketkeeper Kwame Tucker who have both recently recovered from injuries.

Saleem Mukuddem’s dodgy back will also be closely monitored.

It will be interesting to see what opening combination coach Logie will eventually go with as Smith and Minors — who opened the batting on the team’s training tour of Trinidad and Tobago earlier this month — have been rested for the sole World Cricket League warm up match.

The returning Mukuddem, Steffan Kelly and Malachi Jones are now likely candidates to share the new ball, with Kwame Tucker poised to keep behind the stumps.

Leverock and Borden will shoulder the spin bowling responsibilities, while Pitcher, Janeiro Tucker and Lionel Cann could find themselves sharing the workload with the old ball.

Glamorgan’s Bermuda-born batsman Hemp, skipper Romaine, Outerbridge, Janeiro Tucker and Cann are among those Logie has pinned his hopes on to deliver the goods with the bat.