When Albert Steede opted to retire from all cricket two years ago after being part of the ICC Trophy team that secured Bermuda’s World Cup qualification, he was convinced that his decision was the right one.

He was starting a new and important job as deputy headmaster of the Saltus Grammar School’s senior department and had two young children whom he stood to see very little of if he continued to play international cricket.

Since that time, he has gone into the sports betting business as well with friend Cleon Scotland — a lucrative opportunity he would have missed out on had he joined Bermuda’s globe-trotting cricketers.

But after walking in through the gates of the Queen’s Park Oval this week as the Bermuda team were going through their last-minute preparations for the game against Sri Lanka, the former Western Stars captain admitted his previous conviction had started to waver slightly.

“I knew after we qualified for the World Cup that the ICC Trophy would be my last appearance in a Bermuda shirt,” said Steede, who is in Trinidad courtesy of a Government-sponsored package to honour those who “paved the way” for the Island’s entry into the World Cup.

“And to be honest, I haven’t regretted that decision once up to now.

“But having walked in here and seen the team practising and got a sense of the atmosphere and the surroundings, it’s kind of hit me what a very big deal this is, and you could say that I might be having one or two little regrets!

“Just watching the players training in the nets made me want to pick up a bat again, but having made the decision that I did, I guess I’ll just have to be happy watching them from the sidelines.

“But seeing them here on the big stage makes me very proud. I’m proud not just to be a Bermudian but also that I was part of the team that got us to this point. Whatever happens, this really is a fantastic moment for Bermuda cricket.

“All I can say to the team is go out there and enjoy the three games. They’ve got absolutely nothing to lose. There is no expectation, no pressure to get results. Just go out there and try and compete as hard as they can. Opportunities like this don’t come around very often so they’ve got to make the most of it.”

Though Steede has put his cricket gear away for good, he is still actively involved in the game as a national selector — though the absence of a properly-equipped ground in Bermuda has meant that like most cricket-loving locals, he has not had a chance to see the boys play on home soil other than at the World Cricket Classic last April.

Asked whether this has not restricted his ability to make any meaningful contributions as a selector, Steede admitted the situation was not ideal but said he had kept a very close on the players’ performances and statistics as they toured the over the past 18 months.

So does he think Bermuda are any better a team than they were when they qualified, particularly in light of a recent string of very poor results?

“There have been some disappointing results over the last few months, but knowing Gus (Logie) as I do, he’s always said that we’ve got to be patient with the team — progress takes time, sometimes years,” he said.

“Results have not always reflected it, but I think you’ve seen some gradual improvements in all departments of the game and the players are now a lot more experienced and knowledgeable than we were back when we qualified.

“Right now it’s all about laying the foundations for the future and we’ve got to pay more attention to the big picture than just the results.”

Meanwhile, the former opening batsman revealed that he could well be spotted in action on the field again this coming summer — but as an umpire rather than a player. Steede said he wasn’t that interested in coaching, but would like to continue to be involved in the game by donning a white coat.

The job would give him the “perfect opportunity”, he said, to observe players up close and would help him when it came to identifying talent for the national team programmes at all levels.

“You may well see me in a white coat this year,” he said.

“At the moment I’m looking to take some umpiring courses and hopefully by the time the season starts I’ll be in a position to get involved.

“I’ve always been interested in umpiring, even when I was a player I was fascinated by it and in my opinion it really is an art within itself.

“I’ve tried to watch as much club cricket as I could since becoming a selector, but I think you get a much better sense of a player’s ability if you are actually out there with them. So umpiring is a perfect fit for me really given my duties as a selector. I’m really looking forward to it.”