Well, at least Bermuda look the part.

That may not seem so significant considering the national team have suffered three one-sided losses going into today's crucial Red Stripe Bowl quarter-final with hosts Jamaica.

But for those who are spending sleepless nights wondering if there is another controversy around the corner waiting to happen, you can rest assured the odds against it are higher than this paradise island's Blue Mountains.

In the last decade before the new millenium, Bermuda cricket teams have been hounded by stories of hotel damage, dissent and drug use. No doubt, this helped bring about the demise of the former administration which Ed Bailey ran for 15 years.

Enter Randy Horton to manage the first travelling outfit in the post-Bailey era. A tough guy on the soccer field and cricket pitches, an educator and, most importantly, a disciplinarian.

Although new president El James would not admit this, Horton's chief assignment was to whip his team into shape from a deportment standpoint as he could ill-afford unwanted press attention so early in his tenure.

A week and a half into what looks like being an 11-day tour, the move looks to have reaped instant dividends.

"I think first and foremost the players want to do what's right,'' said Horton while looking over yesterday's training session.

"I think the parameters were laid down for them at the beginning when they were selected and first met with the president of the board and the vice-president and all the other people that were there.'' Horton arrived in Jamaica a few days before the team to check out the accommodations and liaise with the Jamaica Cricket Association, which is running this side of the three-week-long competition.

He had met with the Bermuda team before they departed and since their arrival there has been no doubt as to who is in charge.

"My job has been relatively easy,'' he added. "The players have responded very well to me. I have not been easy on them because we have some very stringent curfews and rules in regards to drinking and the like.

"They've made good time everywhere, they've not gotten upset. And in times when I have had to say something to a player, the response has always been very positive.

"As a team they have shown great respect for each other, which is obviously what you want.'' There is a great level of maturity about this team but the same can be said of their predecessors and they could not steer clear of trouble.

But the key apparently is the newcomers -- Dexter Basden, Donald Norford, Irving Romaine and Cleon Scotland -- all in their first venture overseas as senior internationals.

Towing the line is second nature and with senior squad players such as skipper Arnold Manders, Roger Blades and Albert Steede around, any difficult player is easy to spotlight and deal with.

"These guys realise they are ambassadors for Bermuda,'' added Horton. "They have carried themselves excellently on the field.'' Horton lays down the law From Page 13 "We have had some tough decisions they have had to bear and swallow, and they have swallowed them very well.'' Every match has provided its own controversy, which on local fields in Bermuda has been known to lead to the umpire being subjected to a variety of abuse.

The Trinidad and Tobago match saw the no-call on Brian Lara's run-out before he reached 20. He went on to score 110.

Against the Windward Islands, Albert Steede looked to have got an inside edge onto his pads and was given out lbw to reduce the team to six for two.

And on Wednesday, Irving Romaine's first ball faced as a senior international resulted in him being given caught at slip when it appeared obvious he came down on an attempted yorker.

Back in his day, Horton was an imposing figure for officials in both soccer and cricket, so you have a feeling what was going through his mind when Bermuda thrice got the short end of the stick.

"I've been sitting in the pavilion and looking out and seeing a couple of decisions that were very, very hard...had to be very hard but the players handled it very well indeed and I'm proud of them,'' he said.

And it is that demeanour which he feels is the start to getting Bermuda cricket back to a respectable level. The results have not been what the country would have liked, but what is vital from this first tour in the post-Bailey era is that we know how to behave.

"Off the field, the folks in charge of the hotel are running up to me saying that the Bermuda boys are the nicest of all the groups and the most respectful of all the groups,'' added Horton.

Back with team news, today's starting eleven was not to be announced until after dinner time last night but there are bound to be at least two changes.

Roger Blades will be back in to lead the new ball attack and all-rounder Anthony Amory will return to bolster a middle order that failed miserably at Alpart.

Dexter Basden's opening spot may now have gone to wicketkeeper Donald Norford which gives Bermuda the option of sticking with left-armer Gregg Foggo as an extra bowling option, given that spin has proven ineffective for the most part.

Romaine will end up as the hard-luck guy on tour should he lose his spot as expected while Scotland's condemnation to a reserve role was just about confirmed in a tactless exercise yesterday during training when the team scorer, a Jamaican youngster named Garfield, was asked to pad up ahead of him.

Bermuda's probable team in batting order: Albert Steede, Donald Norford, Clay Smith, Anthony Amory, Arnold Manders (capt), Janeiro Tucker, Lionel Cann, Roger Blades, Del Hollis, Gregg Foggo, Herbie Bascome.