ICC Intercontinental Cup and Shield

CANADA v BERMUDA The first first-class match on Canadian soil since the MCC met the national side at the Toronto Cricket, Skating and Curling Club (TSCC) ground in Wilson Avenue in September 1951 was staged controversially at Sunnybrook Park. Unwilling to pay the user fee demanded by the TSCC and with the grass pitches at King City and Ajax Cricket Club in apparently poor condition after a harsh winter, the Canadian Cricket Association turned to Sunnybrook, east of downtown Toronto. A grass wicket was developed there for the ICC Trophy in 2001 but had been allowed to deteriorate since; it was damaged earlier in the year when a new astroturf wicket was installed alongside. Ten days before the match was due to start, the pitch was uneven and there were large gaps in the grass cover. There were concerns that repair work undertaken to rectify these problems would become unstable and that the pitch would break up and be unplayable. In the end these fears proved unfounded and, perhaps aided by the wet weather on the opening day, the pitch lasted remarkably well, although all the players treated it with caution. Uncertainty about how the pitch would behave was perhaps a factor in Clay Smith, the Bermudan captain, inviting Canada to bat first. Play started on time at 10.30 am but after 7.4 overs (36 minutes) and Canada on 40 without loss, the rain came. There was no further play until 3.30 pm. Shortly after the resumption, Ryan Steede removed both openers and Saleem Mukuddem produced an impressively tight piece of seam bowling to finish the day with a return of 15-9-17-3. Several batsmen reached double figures but all found run-scoring difficult. Sunil Dhaniram was the most fluent but it needed a sound defensive display from Ashish Bagai to hold the innings together. He finished the day on 28 not out. The second day saw Bagai and Austin Codrington extend their seventh-wicket partnership to 87 before Bagai became a victim of the economical Dwayne Leverock. Bagai’s strike rate of 38.3 contrasted with the 56.4 of his partner, as Codrington, deciding to attack the bowling, hit six fours in his 48. Once the 250 total was reached, John Davison declared and then proceeded to terrorise Bermuda’s batsmen with his off spin. Conceding only 19 runs in fourteen overs, he took five wickets, demolishing his opponent’s middle order. Only Irving Romaine and Mukuddem showed any competence against the spinners with Davison being supported by the slow left-arm of Kevin Sandher at the other end. Ashish Patel helped remove the tail as Bermuda succumbed in 51 overs for only 107 runs. Although Steede produced another fiery opening spell, taking the first two wickets, Davison continued his domination of the match by striking 55 runs before the close as Bermuda’s bowling became wayward. As in their match against the USA, when it mattered, Bermuda’s players seemed to lose the plot. Bermuda’s cricket showed no improvement on the following morning and Canada were allowed to race to a declaration. Davison fell to Leverock to end the third-wicket partnership of 93. His 78 was made at a strike rate of 89.6 with seven fours and four sixes, thereby belying any idea that the pitch was difficult. Harvinder Dhillon, 11 not out overnight, continued the Canadian onslaught, adding 110 with Bagai for the fourth wicket, of which Bagai’s contribution was 31. Bagai became Leverock’s third victim. Davison allowed Dhillon to complete his century, obtained at a strike rate of 73.9 before declaring. Bermuda were set the task of scoring 394 to win or batting for the rest of the day. The first three batsmen made a reasonable effort but were out to poor shots when looking set. It was left to Clay Smith to produce the master class in how to survive as the middle order collapsed around him to the spin of Sandher. Davison broke Smith’s resistance to reduce Bermuda to 201 for nine but Canada were unable to make the final breakthrough. Somehow, Jekon Edness and Kevin Hurdle managed to hold out, restoring some pride to a side which was, otherwise, outplayed. Despite Davison’s all-round contribution, Harvinder Dhillon was deservedly given the Man-of-the-Match award for his century. 34 ICC Intercontinental Cup 2004