Captain Albert Steede, Charlie Marshall, Kenny Phillip and Del Hollis are the only members of this year's ICC Squad to be named in the Bermuda XI for next weekend's match against Hyderabad Blues, leaving the President's Select XI resembling more of a national team than the Bermuda XI itself.

The absence of England-based Noel Gibbons, Clay Smith and Dean Minors forced three changes on the selectors. But the omission of others like Dexter Smith, Allen Richardson, Arnold Manders, Jeff Richardson, Clevie Wade and Bruce Perinchief -- all relegated to the President's XI -- is certain to spark some comment this weekend when the Hyderabad tour begins.

However, yesterday BCBC president Ed Bailey stressed that the board was taking the opportunity to look at other players as it begins early preparation for the 1997 ICC Trophy in either Canada, Bangladesh or Malaysia.

He pointed out that because the Bermuda XI did not contain its strongest possible team, it was not being called the Bermuda national team.

"What we've had to do is draw up a policy for the future, competitions we are likely to be entering for the rest of this decade,'' said Bailey.

"Clay, Dean and Noel are not here so it gives other people opportunities.'' Bailey insisted that the players from ICC left out of the Bermuda XI had not been discarded.

"We're looking ahead to a younger crop,'' he explained. "No doubt the 1997 team will have some changes.'' On the immediate horizon is an invitation to the American Cup in the US next year, involving Test teams Pakistan, India, England and West Indies.

Yesterday, the board received a tentative agreement from Australia to stop in Bermuda after their shortened tour of the West Indies next spring.

"We don't want to wait until '96 to decide we're going to make changes,'' said the president. "We want to build a team and take it along in stages.'' Still, losing his spot was a surprise to opening batsman Dexter Smith, after finishing second in the batting averages with an average of 56.00 from 392 runs in nine innings in his first ICC Trophy.

He also hit a century last weekend against Somerset, though the team had already been selected by then and was only approved this week by the BCBC executives.

"I'm pretty much in total shock,'' 33-year-old Smith admitted yesterday. "I can't be any more shocked than that.'' After a good ICC, Smith was eagerly awaiting his first performance for Bermuda on local soil.

"I wasn't initially picked to go to Kenya and then I go over there and have a good tournament and thought that I was going to get picked on home soil on merit.'' Plenty of questions will be asked when all three BCBC representative squads attend a meeting tomorrow evening (7.00) at Devonshire Rec.

"I don't know how they're going to be able to explain it,'' said Smith. "It seems very strange to me. I don't understand the reason behind it. They may try to explain it or they may not. I'm not going to let it faze me right now.'' Virtually a whole new team will take to the field next weekend in the final match against the Indians, with Dexter Basden, the Willow Cuts captain, Bailey's Bay opening batsman Devrae Hollis and all-rounder Clarkie Trott, St.

George's captain Graham Fox, Anthony Manders and Wayne Richardson of Western Stars, Lionel Cann of St. David's and Police strike bowler Roger Blades all included.

Also missing from the team are opening bowlers Terry Burgess and Anthony Edwards. Burgess has not played regularly for Bay this season because of other commitments while Edwards, who took over the Devonshire captaincy from Steede, has been missing lately because of injury. That may have been the reason for their omissions.

Teams -- Young Bermuda: Dwight Basden, Devrae Hollis, Devon Wade, Glenn Smith, Gladwin Edness, Albert Steede (capt), Cleon Scotland, Hasan Durham, Kwame Tucker, Winston Trott, Gary Williams, Charles Richardson, Daniel Caines, Damon Edwards.

President's Select: Dexter Smith, Allen Richardson, Andre Manders, Arnold Manders, Jeff Richardson, Allan Douglas, Clevie Wade (capt), Quinton Burch, Anthony Braithwaite, Chris Caisey, Bruce Perinchief, Chris Smith, Del Hollis.

Bermuda XI: Dexter Basden, Devrae Hollis, Albert Steede (capt), Charlie Marshall, Graham Fox, Lionel Cann, Anthony Manders, Roger Blades, Clarkie Trott, Kenny Phillip, Wayne Richardson, Del Hollis, Cleon Scotland.

DEXTER SMITH -- shocked by omission.