Defending champion Canada is likely to use the Americas Cup in Buenos Aires, Argentina in March as an opportunity to blood several fringe players.

The amateur status of the Canadian players means some will not be able to take sufficient leave from work to represent Canada in the Americas Cup and then back up for the Emerging Nations tournament in Namibia in April.

Affected players are likely to give preference to the latter tournament, a key initiative in the ICC's High Performance programme, designed to aid the build-up of Canada, Namibia and ICC Trophy winner the Netherlands for the 2003 World Cup.

Meanwhile, the Bahamas will make their debut amongst Associate company when they face Americas non-Test heavyweight Bermuda in their opening match on March 9.

Fellow ICC Affiliate member the Cayman Islands will be chasing the win it almost achieved in the corresponding match last year when it plays the United States, while the potentially new look Canada will meet host nation, Argentina, who will undoubtedly want to impress home supporters with the form which gave it four wins out of five at this year's ICC Trophy in Canada.

A final has been scheduled for next year's tournament - the first staging of the Americas Cup last year in Toronto consisted of a first-past-the-post round-robin, although results ensured the final day's game between Canada and Bermuda decided the tournament.

Bahamas and Cayman Islands may be joined by Belize for a possible triangular tournament tentatively slated for Easter in the Caymans. It will be the first time Belize has competed in an official tournament of this kind - the national team's only outing is usually a match against the Mexico City Cricket Club, with the venue alternating each year.

Cayman Islands and Bahamas qualified for the Americas Cup as winner and runner-up respectively of the Americas Affiliates tournament in Jamaica in August ahead of Turks & Caicos Islands and Panama. Belize did not compete for financial reasons.

'Beyond The Test World' will provide you with the latest news each month on the Americas Cup.

The draw:

March 9         Argentina vs Canada
                Cayman Islands vs USA
                Bahamas vs Bermuda
March 10        Cayman Islands vs Argentina
                Canada vs Bermuda
                Bahamas vs USA
March 12        Bermuda vs Argentina
                Canada vs USA
                Cayman Islands vs Bahamas
March 13        Argentina vs USA
                Canada vs Bahamas
                Bermuda vs Cayman Islands
March 15        Bahamas vs Argentina
                Canada vs Cayman Islands
                Bermuda vs USA
March 16        Final

© ICC