Jamaica during their holiday tour of the Caribbean island, this according to Jamaica team manager Basil Williams.

Williams told The Royal Gazette yesterday he expected Jamaica to be at full strength for the pair of one-day matches against Bermuda, the first set for the famous Sabina Park in Kingston and the other "out in the country'' at Discovery Bay.

The fact that the Jamaicans will be preparing for the 1993 Red Stripe season which begins in early January means that they cannot afford to take the matches against Bermuda lightly.

"We will have our strongest team,'' promised Williams, currently in his fourth year at the helm. "We're really looking forward to getting in some practice ourselves and this should be good.'' Bermuda, captained by Albert Steede, will be coached by former Jamaica and West Indies fast bowler Michael Holding while in Jamaica. Holding has also been assisting the Jamaicans in their buildup to the start of the Red Stripe.

West Indies Test fast bowler Courtney Walsh has been named as captain of a squad of 16 for Jamaica which is similar to the the squad which placed third in last year's Red Stripe competition.

The Red Stripe is the most popular cricket event in the region, when inter-island rivalry is at its peak. It is also the launching pad for selection to the West Indies Test team, with a number of Jamaicans in contention for selection, led by Walsh and Jimmy Adams who just returned from a tour with the Test team.

Walsh is likely to head a three-pronged Jamaican pace attack featuring Franklyn Rose and Anthony Andrews and backed up by the medium pace of Richard Staple, Tony Powell and Laurie Williams.

Rose has been tipped as a Test player for the future.

"Rose and Andrews should be out there firing in,'' said Williams, himself a player of seven Tests for the West Indies between 1977 and 1978.

As an alternative to pace, Jamaica can call on the highly-rated Nehemiah Perry, who toured Bermuda this Summer with the West Indies select squad, to toss down his off spinners along with leg break/googley bowler Brian Murphy.

In terms of batting they have opener Delroy Morgan as well as Robert Haynes and all-rounder Jimmy Adams, now a permanent fixture in the West Indies line-up.

Add to that stylish left-hander Robert Samuels, who also visited Bermuda earlier this year, and Staple and it is clear Bermuda will get a severe final test before heading out to Kenya next month.

"We have a fairly good all-round team,'' continued Williams.

"We're balanced in both the batting and the bowling should do well, especially in the one-day games.'' Williams said that he suspected that the recently relaid Sabina Park wicket might not be as fast as in the past, but the track at Discovery Bay -- of the hard red clay variety -- might be of more assistance to the "quickies''.

The mood in Jamaica is reportedly high in anticipation of the tour, with many supporters said to be anxious to get the ball rolling for the prestigious Red Stripe.

An 18 strong Bermuda contingent departs on Sunday and it is hoped at least two fixtures against club teams can be added to the schedule.

Jamaica squad: Courtney Walsh (captain), Jimmy Adams, Delroy Morgan, Robert Samuels, Robert Haynes, Franklyn Rose, Frederick Redwood, Patrick Gayle, Cleveland Davidson, Richard Staple, Nehemiah Perry, Tony Powell, Brian Murphy, Laurie Williams, Oswald Tennant, Anthony Andrews.

ROBERT SAMUELS -- Will see for himself just how much the Bermuda bowling has improved.