Veteran batsman Glenn Blakeney has been ruled out of Bermuda's tour to the Caribbean through a back and shoulder injury and a huge question mark now hangs over his involvement in April's World Cup qualifiers in South Africa.

The 35-year old, whose injury could take as many as eight weeks to heal, has been reduced to a specific "rehabilitation programme" and as a "precautionary measure" been ommitted from the senior national squad that leaves for Trinidad on Thursday.

Blakeney's health status is to be further assessed when Bermuda return from a month-long trip to the Caribbean next month when it will be determined whether he is fit or not to travel to the African continent in mid-March.

The stylish left handed batsman's injury woes are the latest of a series of recent setbacks for the national team which have included the termination of batsman Oronde Bascome's Bermuda Cricket Board (BCB) contract and have seen several others reprimanded for reasons ranging from skipping practice to playing football.

All-rounders OJ Pitcher and Malachi Jones have also been ruled out of Bermuda's World Cup qualifying plans through school commitments, local cricket's governing body have confirmed.

The Board also confirmed that fast bowler Stefan Kelly will not take part in the national squad's upcoming tour of Trinidad, St.Lucia and St.Vincent through academic commitments abroad.

"In the face of some setbacks our ongoing preparations will be taking on another phase and challenge in the Caribbean," commented national coach Gus Logie. "I have every confidence the players will equip themselves well and their performances both on and off the field will be of an acceptable level."

Despite the setbacks, BCB president Reggie Pearman said he was pleased with the "quality preparation plan" that has been put in place and has encouraged all members of the touring squad to give "one hundred percent effort" to make the final 15 who will travel to South Africa in March.

Blakeney joined the Board's High Performance Programme (HPP) last November but since then he has been plagued with the injury that threatened to rule him out of Bermuda's unsuccessful ICC Americas Championship defence in Florida the same month.

Meanwhile, according to confirmed reports Bermuda will take on Associate rivals United Arab Emirates (UAE) in their opening World Cup qualifying clash in South Africa on April 1 and face the eventual winner of this month's ICC World Cricket League Division Three Tournament in Argentina on April 2.

The Islanders will then meet Denmark on April 4, powerhouses Kenya on April 6 and the Netherlands on April 8 in their final group match.

The eventual top four countries from Bermuda's group will advance to the Super Eight stage where the top six finishers will earn ICC High Performance status while the top four will secure 2011 World Cup qualification.

Bermuda made history in Ireland nearly four years ago when they became the smallest country to qualify for world cricket's premier showpiece.

Meanwhile, the BCB have confirmed there are no provisions in the national programme presently for the recruitment of a bowling coach.

It was recently learned that legendary West Indies fast bowler Colin Croft had expressed interest in assisting with the Island's bowlers in the lead-up to World Cup qualifiers in South Africa in April.

In the past other West Indies legends such as Sir Gary Sobers, Andy Roberts and Michael Holding have assisted at the island at the national level.

Bermuda squad: Irving Romaine (capt), David Hemp (vice-capt), Rodney Trott, Kyle Hodsoll, Dwayne Leverock, Janeiro Tucker, George O'Brien jr, Tamauri Tucker, Delyone Borden, Fiqre Crockwell, Lionel Cann, Chris Douglas, Jacobi Robinson, Justin Pitcher, Kevin Hurdle, Jekon Edness (wk), Stephen Outerbridge.