eagerly awaiting the arrival of English county team Derbyshire next week for a six-match visit.

The Bermuda team, captained for the first time by Albert Steede in the absence of Wendell Smith and Charlie Marshall, returned on Monday night from the demanding trip. They finished with a record of three wins and two defeats during the trip, which involved coaching under former West Indies Test greats Sir Garfield Sobers and Gordon Greenidge.

"Things went really well and we learned a lot,'' admitted Steede. "We did a lot of things together and the camaraderie was there.'' With five days of cricket and five days of nets, there was little free time for the squad but Steede has full praise for the way the players buckled down the task.

"It was very demanding but the guys really worked hard,'' said Steede. "The guys gave me their full support, which helped tremendously.'' Steede will take over the captaincy of Devonshire Rec. this season and while he admittedly made mistakes he said he learned plenty which can be applied.

"It makes me more aware of the whole game,'' he said. "It's been a learning process but I'll learn from my mistakes.'' The captain added that the squad benefitted from the tremendous knowledge of Sobers and Greenidge, two of the greatest batsmen in Test cricket. "They responded very well to those two especially,'' Steede said.

"We learned a lot from Sir Garfield on the mental and physical approach to the game. He had a lot of good points about all aspects of the game and the guys listened attentively.

"Greenidge was more technical, with the batsmen especially, on how to correct techniques. He just showed us a better way in which to do things.'' The matches were played on different grounds throughout the island, with the tour climaxing with a match on the famed Kensington Oval against the Barbados Under-23s, which Bermuda lost by 86 runs.

"The wickets were perfect and every match we played the wickets got better and better, hard and fast,'' explained Steede.

"We definitely have no complaints about Kensington. The hospitality was fine and the people were very sociable.

"I'm very pleased with everybody and in each game someone different got the spotlight. I couldn't have asked for a better vice-captain in Clevie Wade. We spent a lot of time together and developed a close relationship.'' The tour was a good learning experience for youngsters like Gary Williams, Diallo Sharrieff and Jermaine Outerbridge.

"The youngsters impressed me the most, especially Jermaine Outerbridge,'' Steede said. "He didn't talk much but when it came to matches his ability did all his talking for him. He was like our unsung hero.

"Diallo also did well but he had a little injury with his knee, though he still trained hard. When not playing he was observing and giving input.'' Added Steede: "The opening bowling was probably the weakest aspect of our game but each game we did get better. It was very hard under the conditions.'' Jeff Richardson's unbeaten 112 against St. Catherine on Saturday was the top score by a Bermuda batsman while Noel Gibbons paced Bermuda to their first win of the tour with 73 not out against Police.

Captain Steede scored 59 and 49 in the last two matches while Outerbridge had the best bowling figures of five for 26 from nine overs against the Barbados Under-19s.

ALBERT STEEDE -- In action during Barbados tour. Picture: Gordon Brooks.