fly to Kenya for an international tournament.

They were stumped to be told by a British Airways official in Bermuda: "You need visas''.

Some feared they could miss out on the prestigious ICC event -- without a ball being bowled.

But the 20-strong party finally boarded the connecting flight to London.

And Bermuda Cricket Board of Control president Mr. Ed Bailey immediately launched into some frantic transatlantic phone calls throughout the night.

One man he spoke to was Kenya's Mr. Robbie Armstrong, chief organiser of the ICC Trophy Tournament.

"I was assured an immigration official would be present at Kenya's airport, just in case there is any problem.'' The party's woes began when they arrived on Saturday night at the Civil Air Terminal.

Wives and girlfriends, there to see the group off, were upset by the confusion. "There was some panicking,'' said Mr. Bailey.

He added the party was due in at Nairobi this morning. There had been no flight delays.

Mrs. Sallie Singleton, public relations consultant for British Airways, said regular airline procedure had been followed.

She said visas for Kenya were not needed for British passport holders with right of abode in the UK.

But Bermuda passports did not automatically have that right of abode in Britain, she stressed.

Mrs. Singleton said a local travel agency -- which The Royal Gazette understands to be Meyer Agencies -- were asked whether checks had been made on visas for the team.

"They replied they did not think that visas were required. British Airways then tried to minimise any inconvenience that might have occurred and advised Mr. Bailey to contact Nairobi in advance to arrange for an immigration official to meet the team.

"This would avoid a lengthy process on arrival. The airline also advised Mr.

Bailey that payment for those visas needed to be in hard currency.''