HAMILTON, Bermuda, CMC – Former Bermuda all-rounder Herbie Bascome has been named as the island’s new national cricket coach.
Bascome, 54, has agreed an initial one-year contract, starting the part-time post on March 1.
Three others applied for the job, but Lloyd Smith, president of the cash-trapped Bermuda Cricket Board (BCB), said earlier the board could no longer afford to bring in a foreign coach.
Smith, who made the announcement on Thursday, said the board’s executive had unanimously supported the recommendation of the high-performance committee to appoint Bascome.
“Herbie has devoted his life to our great sport and brings great passion and experience to the role,” Smith said.
Bascome replaces another former Bermuda national team player, Clay Smith, who withdrew his services last October after his three-year contract expired. Smith had taken over the post from fellow Bermudian Arnold Manders.
Bermuda cricket has been in the doldrums internationally since Trinidadian Gus Logie – who had Bascome as his assistant – led the island to the 2007 World Cup in the Caribbean.
It hit a new low last year when the country, along with Vanuatu, were relegated to the ICC’s World Cricket League Division Five after finishing bottom of a Division Four tournament in Malaysia.
Bascome’s initial task is to prepare the Bermuda squad for the ICC Americas Region T20 World Cup qualifying tournament, which Bermuda will host from August 15 to 25.
The double elimination tournament will also involve Canada, the United States and Cayman Islands, with the top two countries advancing to the Global Qualifier in November, ahead of next year’s T20 World Cup in Australia. “I am very grateful for the opportunity that the board has given me to lead our country’s national cricket team,” Bascome said. “I have been fortunate to have had outstanding experience as assistant coach to Gus Logie when we were a Division One team.
“I am fully committed to moving our cricket back towards those high-performance levels, starting with a strong showing in August in the T20.
“I encourage players to commit to playing for our country and restoring pride at the national senior level.”
