Bermuda looks to make it the perfect year at ICC Intercontinental Cup finals

For Bermuda, success in the finals of the ICC Intercontinental Cup, which starts in Windhoek, Namibia on 23 October, would be the perfect end to a memorable year.

2005 has already seen the islanders qualify for the ICC Cricket World Cup for the first time and now its players have the chance to pick up some silverware in Namibia in the first-class tournament for non-Test playing countries.

It will not be easy for Bermuda, even though they are the only one of the four semi-finalists to win both their qualifying matches, as they will face in-form Kenya in their three-day semi-final.

But the side coached by former West Indies batsman Gus Logie has already shown its liking for a battle in those qualifiers and the Kenyans, themselves used to being the underdogs so often in the past, will underestimate Bermuda at their peril.

Bermuda's match against the much-fancied Canada side in Toronto in August was an example of that battling spirit. They conceded a first innings lead of 82 and were 61-4 in their second effort before captain Clay Smith (45), Janeiro Tucker (123) and wicketkeeper Dean Minors (66) turned the game on its head.

Reflecting on that fightback, Smith said: "It was the highlight of the qualifying matches for us.

"After day one people had written us off but this team has developed a fighting spirit and never gave up. Because of our never-say-die attitude we were able to turn the tide on Canada and come away victorious."

Smith, Tucker and Minors are the engine room of the batting line-up, together with Irvine Romaine, who scored useful runs in the middle order in the ICC Trophy in Ireland in July, and the hard-hitting Lionel Cann, but one area of concern for coach Logie is the top-order.

During that ICC Trophy tournament, where Bermuda finished fourth behind Scotland, Ireland and Canada to confirm qualification for the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2007, openers OJ Pitcher and Delyone Borden averaged just 20 runs per innings together.

With both men unavailable for the ICC Intercontinental Cup the selectors opted for Christopher Foggo and Graham Strange against Canada. They added 5 & 2 in that match, then Foggo and Daniel Morgan mustered just 26 against the Cayman Islands.

Foggo is unavailable for the finals in Windhoek but with Logie favouring specialists in the opening roles, the selectors have recalled the veteran Curtis Tucker, who last played in 2000, and Kwame Tucker, after both scored heavily in domestic cricket.

Bermuda's bowling looks in good shape ahead of the ICC Intercontinental Cup finals with spin likely to play a major role in the side's strategy.

Larger-than-life left-arm spinner Dwayne Leverock has enjoyed himself already in this year's Event with 11-72 against the Cayman Islands and he and Hasan Durham have shared 25 wickets between them in Bermuda's two matches.

Kevin Hurdle and Ryan Steede are likely to be charged with the task of getting early wickets with the new ball while the inclusion of Kevin Tucker completes a remarkable rise for the 26 year-old left-arm fast bowler.

The player was not included in an initial 28-man squad but, after asking Logie if he could come and bowl in the nets, he was fast-tracked into the ICC Intercontinental Cup line-up, a beneficiary of the coach's "open door" policy where exclusion from a training squad does not mean exclusion from the selectors' thoughts.

Logie has recently signed a new four-year contract with the Bermuda Cricket Board and, with the island's Government announcing a multi-million dollar cash injection to help ICC Cricket World Cup preparations, there is a real feel-good factor around Bermuda cricket.

Looking forward to the threat posed by Steve Tikolo's side, captain Smith said: "We have discussed Kenya to some degree, what their strengths and weaknesses are, and we have targeted a few players that we have to be mindful of.

"However, at the end of the day, we realise it is about maximising our own ability. If we play our game to the best of our ability then we can cause Kenya a lot of trouble."

1. Clay Smith (captain)
2. Janeiro Tucker
3. Saleem Mukuddem
4. Dwayne Leverock
5. Dean Minors
6. Ryan Steede
7. Irving Romaine
8. Kwame Tucker
9. Kevin Hurdle
10. Curtis Jackson
11. Lionel Cann
12. Hasan Durham
13. Kevin Tucker
Manager - Elvin James
Coach - Gus Logie
Physiotherapist - Daniel Morgan

23 - 25 August, Toronto: Bermuda 125 (Smith 52, Bhatti 8-40) & 311 (JJ Tucker 123, Minors 66) beat Canada 207 (Bagai 76) & 181 by 48 runs.

27 - 29 August, Toronto: Bermuda 387-7 declared (Smith 138, Romaine 111, Minors 74) beat Cayman Islands 197 (Gordon 65, Leverock 5-56) & 85 (Leverock 6-16) by an innings and 105 runs.

The other semi-final pits the winners of the Europe group, Ireland, against the Asia group winners, the United Arab Emirates, on the same dates (23 - 25 October), with the final taking place from 27 - 29 October.

There will be a new name on the ICC Intercontinental Cup this year following Scotland's success in the inaugural Event, in 2004, when they defeated Canada in the final.

Throughout the build-up to the 2005 finals week, the ICC's corporate affairs department will be issuing information on the other semi-finalists and further details of the ICC Intercontinental Cup.