Bermuda thrash Cayman to advance to global Twenty20

David Moore’s men restricted the Caymans to 87 for eight and then knocked off the winning runs with 29 balls to spare.

Anchoring Bermuda to its third win of the tournament were skipper David Hemp (24) and Lionel Cann (54), who dominated an unbroken opening stand of 88.

Earlier, promising all-rounder Kamau Leverock set the tone for his team’s emphatic win by claiming three for 13 with his right-arm seamers.

With the result, Bermuda booked its ticket to next March’s global World Twenty20 in Dubai.
Praising the team’s efforts afterwards was skipper Hemp.

He said: “Today we put on a complete performance. We bowled and fielded well to restrict the Caymans to 87 runs. 

“It wasn’t an easy pitch to bat on. It was slow and to win the match by ten-wickets is obviously a good game for us.”

Cann led Bermuda’s run chase, with his third half-century of the tournament arriving off just 39 balls.

He smashed four sixes, including three off spinner Zachary McLaughlin’s second and final over.

The St David’s Islander is currently the tournament’s most prolific run getter with 173 runs to his credit.

Hemp added: “Lionel is an aggressive player, he likes to strike the ball. We have had some good partnerships and we’re obviously looking to build on that going forward.”

Hemp also praised Leverock, who bowled with a maturity belying his tender 16 years.
“Kamau bowled particularly well and got a few wickets - I felt the seamers set the tone at the start.
“They got a couple of early wickets and kept picking at wickets regularly, which is what we want to do.”
Leverock, who also a major say in a run out, had Cayman’s top scorer Steve Gordon (23) grabbed by Cann at long off, Abali Hoilett (two) caught behind and Conroy Wright (four)  cleaned bowled.

Hemp added: “The lengths and areas we bowled today were really good on that particular surface. We didn’t go too full, just back of length, which is hard to manipulate the ball.”

Backing Leverock up in the bowling was fellow seamer Malachi Jones, who claimed two for nine.

Bermuda will face hosts USA in their final match tomorrow without wicketkeeper Dean Minors who departs for the UK.

Fiqre Crockwell is expected to keep behind the stumps in Minors’ absence.