HAMILTON, Bermuda (CMC):

Bermuda is to host a round of qualifying matches for the 2015 Cricket World Cup next year, officials announced.

Premier Paula Cox and Sports Minister Glenn Blakeney joined the Bermuda Cricket Board (BCB) on Thursday in making the announcement that the International Cricket Council (ICC) had chosen the island as the venue for the World Cricket League Division Three tournament, which will run from April 28 until May 5.

The round-robin tournament featuring six teams will see Bermuda take on Oman, Uganda and Italy.

The two top teams from the Division Four group of Singapore, Malaysia, the United States, Nepal, Denmark and Tanzania will also fly to Bermuda to take on the four other nations.

The top two nations at the end of the Division Three tournament will go through to a final group of 10 nations that will compete with one another in New Zealand in 2014 for the right to play in the main event the following year, to be jointly staged by Australia and New Zealand.

The 2015 World Cup will feature 14 teams as it did last year when it was held in Asia.

Bermuda's only appearance in the World Cup came in 2007 when it was staged in the Caribbean, but they lost all three matches in Trinidad.

BCB executive director Neil Speight said the National Sports Centre would be the primary venue for next year's tournament here and will host six matches.

He said a decision over which other club grounds would host games would be made in November after ICC officials had visited the island.

Speight added: "The ICC has regulations over the minimum size of the pitches that can host qualifying games.

"We will consider the grounds on the island and make a final decision over which venues will be used at the end of the year.

"It will come down to quality of surface and whatever the ICC feels is acceptable.

"I am confident we have a lot of good groundsmen in Bermuda and this event will provide a lot of energy as well.

"I am sure Bermuda will give a good account of itself," he said.