County Cricket Club take part in a nine-day tour of Canada.

The 26 players and officials leave today to play a series of matches against Toronto-area clubs before returning on June 29.

It is the first overseas trip for the club and comes on the heels of similar excursions by Police and Western Stars last year.

Wayne Smith, the team's assistant coach, "out of form batsman,'' and organiser of the trip, said the tour had been in the works since the end of last season and was part of the club's long-term development plan.

Why Canada? It's close, convenient and "has a strong representation of the historic cricket nations,'' said Smith, who also has friends and family in the country.

Toronto is a melting pot of cultures -- West Indian, East Indian and Europeans to name a few -- who have a developed a large cricket community of their own.

The immediate goal of the tour, said Smith, was preparing the team for the upcoming Eastern Counties Cup competition and motivating players for the remainder of the season.

But at a time when Bermuda Cricket Board of Control have been criticised for their shortsightedness, Smith said the club had taken the initiative to improve the sport.

"People forget the organisation of cricket in Bermuda is made up of many teams and their members,'' he said.

"Cricket can only work at a national level if clubs take a stakehold and improve play at their own level.'' Aaron Adams will captain the touring squad, the 34-year-old's first overseas tour. The goal, he said, was to win the matches "but at the same time it should be a learning experience for the younger fellows.'' "You can play cricket in Bermuda and make 900 runs a season but that doesn't mean you'll be able to make that when you compete against other countries.'' Adams figures the foreign experience -- playing on a wide variety of pitches against a wide variety of bowlers -- will aid players when their turn comes to represent their country.

Cleveland will be minus two of their stalwarts, Allan Douglas and Johnny Richardson. Taking their place are youngsters Monroe Darrell, who plays for the International Youth Team, and David Gibbons, captain of Cleveland County's under-15 squad.

The tour will include practices and matches against Inverhaugh CC in Kitchener, Ontario, about 80 kilometres west of Toronto, Ajax CC, just north of Toronto, Toronto CC and the Toronto Selects.