One of the Island’s most promising young cricketers has had a Bermuda Cricket Board scholarship terminated for persistently falling short of his academic and sporting obligations.

All-rounder Oronde Bascome, son of national team assistant coach Herbie Bascome, became the third Bermudian to be sent by the BCB to the University of Wales Institute Cardiff (UWIC) in October — a British university which boasts one of six specialist cricket academies in Britain which cater to current or aspiring professional cricketers wishing to obtain a degree.

Western Stars’ Jekon Edness and Bailey’s Bay’s Stephen Outerbridge have just begun their second year at the university, though Bascome had only completed one term.

A BCB statement released yesterday said they had been receiving “unfavourable” reports from the university regarding Bascome’s attendance at lectures and training sessions.

The statement reveals that several meetings between the Board, Bascome and his parents took place over the Christmas holidays and he was made to sign an agreement which “clearly outlined” a schedule of work and practice that he was required to adhere to.

“Unfortunately a number of the conditions of this agreement were breached within a short time of his return to UWIC and the BCB had no alternative than to terminate its scholarship support,” the statement read.

Board president Reggie Pearman said in the statement that he was “very disappointed” they were no longer able to support the Island’s Under-19 skipper.

“The BCB regards its scholarship program with the utmost importance as one of its key building blocks of the BCB development program. However, in administering public and corporate funding for such initiatives, standards must be kept,” Mr. Pearman said.

“It is unfortunate that we have no choice in the matter — despite extensive steps taken by the BCB to try and rectify the situation.

Oronde is a bright young man and a promising cricketer and I hope that he rebounds from this in a positive manner.”

Sources close the situation have told The Royal Gazette that reports of Bascome’s apparent lack of commitment were reaching the BCB within a few weeks of term starting.

He was also reportedly warned in no uncertain terms at Christmas that the Board would not hesitate to cut him off if the reports from university staff did not improve straight away.

Bizarrely, the young St. George’s all-rounder said at a press conference in June that he was greatly looking forward to what he considered “an opportunity of a lifetime”.

“”It is an honour and a privilege to be afforded this opportunity,” he said at the time.

“And I intend to take full advantage of the educational and cricketing options now available to me. I recognise the importance of this programme and the responsibilities that I am now accountable for as I represent not just myself, but my family, club and country. And I thank the BCB wholeheartedly for this incredible opportunity.”

Attempts to contact Bascome in Cardiff yesterday were unsuccessful, while his father was also unavailable for comment because he is currently on his way back to the Island having accompanied the national team on their ill-fated tour of Kenya.

However, Bascome’s godfather and coach at St. George’s, George Cannonier, said yesterday he had suspected the former Saltus Grammar School student was not entirely happy with the situation.

“I don’t know the specifics of what exactly has happened, but it is disappointing that things have not worked out,” he said.

“Oronde is a very quiet boy who doesn’t say much or give too much away, and when I asked him about how things were going at Christmas he told me he was enjoying it — but I got the impression he was maybe just saying that.

“I think one of the problems he had was that he was under the impression that he was going to a full cricket academy where the emphasis was mainly on cricket and the academic side of things was attached to that.

“But when he got there he realised that it was the other way round, which I’m not really sure he was expecting.

“But hopefully what has happened won’t hold back his cricket because he is a very talented player with a lot to offer Bermuda.”