Bermuda Withdraws as WC Back-up

Bermuda no longer wants to be part of the 2007 Cricket World Cup in the West Indies, the Associated Press reported on Wednesday.

The island missed out on being one of the eight host venues last July when the International Cricket Council announced the winning bidders. But Bermuda's National Sports Centre was chosen as one of the host sites for warmup matches between the international teams leading up to the tournament proper in February-April 2007.

The ICC also recommended Bermuda as the first alternate venue should any of the eight territories selected - Antigua, Barbados, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica (Sabina Park), St. Kitts, St. Lucia and Trinidad - not be able to fulfil their obligations.

However, Bermuda's World Cup organizing committee has confirmed it was pulling out altogether.

Bermuda was one of four venues that missed out on hosting official matches during the six-week tournament, and its withdrawal leaves the United States with a good chance of being selected to stage warmup matches.

Lauderhill in south Florida's Broward County, along with the other two losing bidders, St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Trelawny, Jamaica, are now favored for buildup games.

The ICC will announce the full tournament schedule in July in Jamaica.