to at least three members of the Bermuda team who travel to Jamaica this weekend for a series of one-day matches.

The faces may have changed but on the fast Jamaican pitches the reception will probably be no less hostile as the Red Stripe team put Bermuda through their sternest test in the build-up to Kenya 1994.

Almost exactly 11 years ago, a Bermuda team captained by Noel Gibbons and also containing Clevie Wade and Charlie Marshall made a brief trip to Jamaica for two four-day matches against a Jamaica side that contained a couple of youngsters who went on to become two of the world's most feared fast bowlers -- Courtney Walsh and Patrick Patterson.

Walsh, now the Jamaica captain and a member of the West Indies Test team, claimed three for 23 in the second innings to go with Patterson's four for 32 in the first as Bermuda were routed in two days by an innings and 36 runs in the first four-day match at Sabina Park.

Former West Indies wicket-keeper Jeffrey Dujon led the Jamaica batting with 119 as they totalled 277 and then dismissed Bermuda for 118 and 123.

The match was over so early that a 40-overs match was also held, which saw Jamaica win by 77 runs after scoring 182 for six and then dismissing Bermuda for 105.

Bermuda did much better in the second four-day match at Melbourne Park as, after the first day was rained out, Bermuda improved in the batting to earn a draw.

Jamaica amassed 352 for seven declared as Bermuda made a creditable 300 with Marshall scoring 76 and Wade 44. Jamaica then scored 226 for six in their second innings as Gibbons claimed four for 93 from 29 overs.

The strength of that Bermuda team was the bowling where Adrian King, Anthony Edwards, Robert Hinds, Gibbons and Wade made up the attack. The pendulum has shifted in the last decade with the batting now being Bermuda's strongest area. It will be interesting to see how well the likes of captain Albert Steede, Wendell Smith, Allen Richardson, Dexter Smith, Arnold Manders, Clay Smith, Jeff Richardson, Gibbons and Wade cope with the pace of Walsh, Franklyn Rose and Anthony Andrews and the medium-pace of Richard Staple, Tony Powell and Laurie Williams.

Bermuda's bowlers will be put to the test, too, by the likes of opening batsmen Delroy Morgan, who played a few matches with local club Bailey's Bay a few years ago, and Robert Samuels, Robert Haynes and Test player Jimmy Adams.

"Although there is a lot of talk about the bowlers, our batsmen have a lot of work to do as well,'' said captain Albert Steede, 25, who led the team on their tour of Barbados earlier this year.

After returning from Jamaica, the Bermuda squad will have just a couple of weeks back in Bermuda in mid-January before jetting off for Kenya and the ICC Trophy Tournament. A top-three finish will book Bermuda a place in the 1996 World Cup in India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka against the world's Test-playing countries.

"Definitely this tour is the starting point,'' said Steede. "This is probably the most preparation we've had for any ICC tournament. The guys are taking it (Jamaica tour) very seriously and it will be the first time the team has played together since the West Indies A tour. Everyone is geared up to play.'' As well as the ICC being the last chance for some of the senior players to realise their dreams of playing in the World Cup, the tour of Jamaica will also help boost some players' hopes of establishing places in the team for Kenya.

"A lot of them realise this is their last chance possibly to represent Bermuda internationally and they are giving more effort than the general public thinks,'' added Steede.

"This may be the best chance Bermuda have to qualify (for World Cup) and we may not get that chance again. The possibility of us getting there is much higher than in previous tournaments.'' Former West Indies paceman Michael Holding has been helping Bermuda in their preparation and will continue to do so during the tour of Jamaica. He has told the squad they will unlikely meet teams in Kenya the quality of which they will encounter from the Jamaica national team.

"Every team is going to be very strong and we're not going to take any of them lightly,'' captain Steede added.

So what does he expect from his batsmen and bowlers during what will be at least a four-match trip of Jamaica? "I want the batsmen to bat for 50 overs with the least amount of wickets to fall and in the bowling I would like to see them bowl consistent, especially in the beginning and end,'' he said.

"The conditions in Jamaica shouldn't be too much different from Barbados. The wickets are generally hard in the West Indies and the wickets are going to be a good test for our batsmen.

"I'm hoping for a good result against the Jamaica national team. If we get a solid, concrete result, that would build spirits and morale in the team even more.'' SKIPPERS PAST AND PRESENT -- Noel Gibbons, right, who led Bermuda during their last tour of Jamaica 11 years ago, and Albert Steede, the new man in charge.