Female cricketers in Bermuda will put their skills on display tomorrow in a Super Six Tournament at the National Sports Centre.

The competition will pit five teams against each other in an event designed to kick off the Island's first Women's Super 6 League.

National team players Rachel Smith, Terrylynn Paynter and Maryellen Jackson will be among the team captains for the day, and games will run from 9.30am until late afternoon.

In the lead up to the tournament, Bermuda head coach David Moore has been running weekly training sessions, and while there are five teams playing tomorrow, enough individuals have signed up for the league to get it off the ground.

"I'm extremely pleased with the response so far," said Moore. "We have had five teams register and many more individuals who are interested in competing in the league scheduled to take place once the tournament has finished."

The approach to women's cricket in Bermuda has been erratic at best in the past, ever since the Women's Development Programme was first introduced five years ago. Since then games have been randomly arranged, and, more often than not, the women have been forced to play against the men in the Island's evening league.

However, a new league, and a new approach to the development of the women's game domestically from the Bermuda Cricket Board is a sign that things are changing. The development squad will be brought under the umbrella of the BCB's development programme, meaning the next generation of female cricketers will have access to some of the same coaches, physios, and nutrionists that their male counterparts do.

"We're hoping with this league here that it will generate enough interest that we can sustain training throughout the year," said Jackson.

"In the past we've got together to prepare for a tournament, but once that is over, it all kind of settles down. This, we hope, will allow year round cricket for women and girls.

"The girls' development programme is going to go a long way to enticing more young girls, because standardised coaching, and tours, will allow the squad to grow.

"Once that gets going, and they know they are getting support from the Board, it will have a big impact for a lot of girls."

And the hope is that the cricketers who have been put off by having to play against men and boys will return to the game and boost a squad that many believe has plenty of potential.

"There are three tournaments that the ICC recognise as being key tournaments for them, international," said Moore.

"One of them is the men's World Cup, the under-19 World Cup, and the Women's World Cup. It's a very important programme for the ICC, so it is, and should be an important programme for us.

"We've got to get formalised structures in place to allow us, not only to trott out a team for senior women, but also a development programme preparing those young women to play as well."

Meanwhile Precious Smith has been selected by the ICC Americas to take part in the ICC Americas Academy in Trinidad and Tobago.

Smith is attending the 11-day programme for women at the Sir Frank Worrell Development Centre.

The programme will be run by Ann Browne-John, ICC Women's Committee Representative, former West Indies captain and Level 2 WICB Coach.

n Clay Smith's column will return next week.