HOLDING

HAMILTON, Bermuda (CMC);

BERMUDA ALL-ROUNDER Lionel Cann has hit back at West Indian Test legend Michael Holding over his claim that smaller teams will devalue the Cricket World Cup (CWC) starting in the Caribbean next month.

Holding said on Sunday that expanding the number of non-Test playing nations to five in the World Cup was a flawed idea, noting that only the top ICC associate member should compete in cricket's premier one-day tournament."Holding's entitled to his opinion, but it was selfish. I was surprised and appalled by his remarks," Cann told Wednesday's Bermuda Sun.

"He was brought in to be the guest speaker at our first ever World Cup function and he says we shouldn't be there!" he said.

"I was not at the function because I was ill, but I read his remarks in Monday's paper. He is obviously entitled to his opinion, but there is a time and a place."

Bermuda qualified for the World Cup for the first time by finishing fourth in the ICC Trophy tournament in Ireland 18months ago.

They will join Kenya, Scotland, Ireland, the Netherlands and Canada alongside the 10 Test-playing countries. Kenya have automatic entry into the World Cup.

"Hearing something like that from someone who has been such an ambassador for the game, put me in a real down frame of mind. It seemed like all that we have accomplished and worked towards was nothing in his eyes," Cann said.

The big picture

"With all the negativity that's been directed towards the team, it's just one more downer. It's something that will motivate us and make us want to succeed even more.

"I actually feel, as someone who has played cricket his whole life, it was quite a selfish statement to make. I don't think he's looking at the big picture. It wasn't that long ago people were calling Bangladesh minnows, now they've beaten Australia.

"The dream of playing in the World Cup is an incentive for (everybody). The more competition there is internationally, the higher the standard will be worldwide.

"Is he going to say Trinidad shouldn't have been in the football World Cup? I have a lot of respect for such a gentleman, but this is one occasion when I believe he has faltered in his comments."

The 34-year-old Cann, an aggressive all-rounder with 12 ODIs behind him, says Bangladesh's development was proof of the strides that could be made once weaker countries played alongside the ICC full member nations.

"Bermuda may have beaten Bangladesh in the past, but that was before they became a Test playing country. They have taken their cricket to ne Cann argued.

"You can't compare Bangladesh then to what they are like now. You can't compare Bermuda now to teams of the past either, as we've had all this exposure.

Proud

"Bangladesh have sorted out their infrastructure and they have world-class youngsters coming through. They are going from strength to strength."

He said the Bermuda squad heard a different kind of speech from Sports Minister Randy Horton. He had a meeting with us and let us know he expects us to be ambas-sadors for this country.

"He reminded us that there were people before us that laid the foundations and now we have reached the pinnacle," Cann added. "He said he was proud of us and that the ministry and the government were behind us. He wished us the best and told us to play with heart and dignity."