Mini World Cup for second-tier nations?

Bermuda is being lined up as a possible venue for a mini World Cup between the six second-tier cricketing nations. The top five finishers in the ICC Trophy in July - Bermuda, Canada, Ireland, Netherlands and Scotland - were granted ODI status by the ICC, joining Kenya who already held such a position.

The ICC is reportedly keen to stage a tournament ahead of the 2007 World Cup to help the six prepare for the main event in which they will all play, and Richard Done, the ICC's high performance manager, recently visited Bermuda to look at the facilities.

"We have discussed having it in this country; that's a possibility. South Africa is also on the agenda," he told the local media. "We have just got to decide where and when it will be."

Done said the six-nation tournament would be just one of a a number of initiatives to help the second-tier countries get ready for the World Cup. One such scheme would see the best young players from each of them being sent to an academy in South Africa. "It would be for players with the potential to play a role in 2007 who are available and willing to make that commitment," said Done. "It should be a great opportunity for a couple of players."