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Bermuda's World Cup qualifying campaign got off to a desperately disappointing start as they were overwhelmed by the United Arab Emirates, succumbing to a four-wicket defeat in South Africa.

A brave fight back in the field, inspired by the miserly slow bowling of Dwayne Leverock, made the margin of defeat respectable.

But a patchy batting performance meant the big spinner's superb effort - 1 for 13 from 10 overs - was never likely to be anything more than an exercise in damage limitation.

With an outfield like a putting green and a relatively flat wicket, coach Gus Logie had targeted a score in excess of 280 at the leafy oak-fringed Potchefstroom University ground.

But as the UAE quicks ripped through the top order that target quickly began to look like a distant dream.

Even triple figures looked like mission improbable as Bermuda crumbled to 67 for 5 inside the first 20 overs.

Only a gutsy 66 from Janeiro Tucker, who played a fighting innings of controlled aggression, pulled them back towards the realms of respectability.

But when Tucker, who crashed two sixes and six fours in his 81-ball innings was caught off the slow bowling of UAE skipper Khurrum Khan, it was practically game over.

The final three wickets fell for just four more runs and Bermuda were all out for an insufficient 187.

The most frustrating thing from Bermuda's point of view was that there was nothing particularly deadly about the UAE attack.

Both Cann and Hemp were out playing rash shots, though the latter fell victim to a spectacular one-handed diving catch in the deep and Outerbridge (16) and Edness (17) will be disappointed that they failed to turn promising starts into innings' of substance.

A total of 187 was never likely to be enough and some aggressive pinch hitting from UAE opener Amjad Javed, who seemed intent on clubbing his way to victory as quickly as possible, got the run chase off to an electric start.

When he was inevitably caught from an ill-timed hack off the bowling of pace man George O'Brien, more measured heads prevailed.

With Leverock reeling off maiden over after maiden over and the military medium pace of Janeiro Tucker and flighty spin of Rodney Trott proving almost as tough to score against, UAE went into their shell.

Led by the more traditional opening style of Arshad Ali - the chalk to Javed's cheese - they nudged and prodded their way towards victory.

As the UAE retreated Bermuda sensed an opportunity. Ali finally fell for 41, clean bowled by Kelly off a good length delivery that scythed through his defence.

And with Romaine rotating his pack of bowlers in search of wickets there were enough breakthroughs to keep the islanders interested.

When the menacing O'Brien - steaming in to the soundtrack of distant thunder - landed a Yorker on the toe of Neemudin Aslan, to send the batsman back to the pavilion, the Dubai based side looked suddenly vulnerable at 158 for 6.

They were still 25 runs short of their victory target when Romaine dropped a routine catch from skipper Khurrum Khan in the covers.

But man-of-the match Khan, who finished unbeaten on 41, recovered his composure to shepherd his side to victory with three overs to spare.

After the game skipper Romaine admitted he was disappointed in himself for a rare dropped catch. But he said the bottom line was that his side had not scored enough runs.

"The guys worked hard in the field but defending totals of less than 200 against these teams is difficult. We needed more runs on the board."

Romaine, who felt he was unlucky to be given out stumped for 20 when he and Tucker looked like establishing a decent partnership, did not look for excuses in the wicket, which he said was a good batting track.

Leverock said he was disappointed not to take more wickets, despite ending with immaculate figures of 1 for 13 from his ten overs.

He said: "I was just trying to bowl stump to stump and make them make a mistake. The wicket was not really turning so I was just trying to draw them into some rash shots.

"I think they figured I was the trump card and hung in there as best they could. Some times it goes like that. I was a bit disappointed not to get more wickets, because that's what we needed. I felt I bowled good areas and had some good lbw appeals turned down."

Both players remain optimistic that Bermuda can still qualify for the World Cup and Romaine said the side's performance in the field had shown they could be a force to be reckoned with if they could get the batting department firing on all cylinders.

"We've got another game tomorrow against Afghanistan.

"I am sure we will be up for the challenge. It's about guts now. It's about who wants it more. It's do or die every single game."

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