ICC Intercontinental Cup and Shield

BERMUDA v SCOTLAND This was Bermuda’s first home game in the Intercontinental Cup since July 2004. In the intervening period, the Bermuda Cricket Board worked to bring the facilities up to international standard and these were approved by the ICC earlier in the year. Even so, there must have been concerns about the pitch when Dwayne Leverock got the ball to spin sharply before lunch on the first day. Despite fielding a side weakened by the absence of Ryan Watson and Gavin Hamilton, Scotland batted first. Although George O’Brien and Stefan Kelly bowled steadily, there was little bounce in the pitch and Fraser Watts and Douglas Lockhart accumulated 42 runs in the first hour. Bowling first change, Leverock immediately got a ball to turn and lift, surprising Lockhart, who edged an easy catch to Jekon Edness. Even though Bermuda’s bowlers were inconsistent in line and length for most of the day, the spin of Leverock and Rodney Trott proved too much for Scotland’s batsmen who perished through reckless shot selection. The exception was Watts, who held the innings together but eventually foundered seven runs short of his century, ending a vital but somewhat tedious display with a strike rate of 41.5. Majid Haq put up some useful resistance before the close when he was 44 not out, but the day belonged to Leverock who bowled 37 overs and took four of the seven wickets to fall for 100 runs. The following morning Haq added only two runs to his overnight score, but Dewald Nel struck three fours in a useful 22 to help add 20 runs for both the ninth and tenth wickets. Leverock picked up two more wickets to take his tally to six off 44 overs but a total of 282 looked above par on a difficult pitch. Chris Foggo and Oronde Bascombe began Bermuda’s reply comfortably with an opening stand of 44, of which Bascombe contributed a mere six runs, made off 64 balls. Sean Weeraratna broke the partnership, having Bascombe caught by Ross Lyons, and followed this up quickly with the wickets of Justin Celestine and Steven Outerbridge. The remaining batsmen struggled all day against the spin of Haq and Lyons and showed little idea of how to combat the turning ball; lack of foot movement and indecision on whether to play forward or back made batting almost impossible. Given the ineptness shown, it was surprising that the spinners did not take more wickets, but they clearly did enough to cause a demoralised tail to fall victim to Nel’s medium pace. O’Brien responded well for Bermuda, however, and Scotland were soon 22 for 3 in the second innings before Watts and Colin Smith stayed together, adding 61 runs for the fourth wicket by the close. Scotland were by then in a commanding position, 259 runs ahead. Apart from Watts, no Scottish batsmen got set and wickets fell regularly throughout the third day. Smith helped extend the overnight partnership to 103. After both he and Watts were dismissed in quick succession, Neil McCallum farmed the bowling and protected the lower order whilst accumulating 42 runs at a strike rate of 77.7, taking advantage of virtually every loose ball bowled. Without the efforts of these three batsmen, Scotland would have been in severe trouble but, because of what they achieved, Watts was able to declare when the ninth wicket fell to set Bermuda an unlikely target of 373. Unfortunately for the home side, Foggo was forced to retire hurt before any runs were scored. Bascombe and Celestine went cheaply but Outerbridge rescued the situation with a confident innings. He dominated the third-wicket partnership of 45 with Oliver Pitcher, who defended for 44 balls for his six runs, and, after Edness fell first ball he received, took the lead in a stand with Trott which by the close was worth 58 runs. Outerbridge and Trott extended their partnership to 83 on the last morning but, just as they were looking as though they could defy Scotland in a long stand, Trott pulled a short ball from Haq into the back of Weeraratna, who had taken evasive action at short leg, from whence it lobbed up into the hands of Watts at mid wicket. Irving Romaine played attractively for his 27 and stayed long enough for Outerbridge to reach his hundred. Soon after, Romaine and Outerbridge were both dismissed, the latter after a patient, well-constructed and skilful innings of 113, made at a strike rate of 45.2. O’Brien prolonged proceedings with a fiery 32, at a strike rate of 96.9, in a last-wicket stand of 45 before becoming a fourth victim for Lyons. Under the conditions Bermuda did well to hold off the opposition for much of the fourth day but they could not prevent Scotland achieving a relatively easy victory. 156 ICC Intercontinental Cup 2007-08