---

All-rounder Lionel Cann has hit out at the island's absentee stars as Bermuda's troubled tour of Europe took another turn for the worse.

His comments come after a makeshift Bermuda squad, reduced to 11-fit players, suffered an innings defeat against Holland in Amstelveen.

Cann turned the spotlight on the players who have made themselves unavailable for the national team and said: "they have not put their country first".

In his column today, the St. David's skipper questions the commitment of the island's best cricketers and urges them to come out and represent.

"Those guys have to battle through the tough times. Just because you're not winning, you don't want to be a part of the situation? "Come on, be a part of the solution, not part of the problem.

If you're good enough, if you are the best in your country then put yourself forward."

Cann said he felt sorry for the new guys who had been thrown in at the deep end, with only four of Bermuda's World Cup squad making the trip.

Holland, by contrast, have a side packed with international and English county-cricket experience.

And they have made it tell over the past few days.

After being bowled out for 183 on day-one, despite a battling unbeaten century from skipper Irving Romaine, Bermuda were immediately on the back foot.

And things went from bad to worse when Dutch openers Alex Kervezee and Tom de Grooth put on 155 for the first wicket.

The tireless George O'Brien made some crucial breakthroughs with his fiery pace bowling yesterday, finishing with figures of 5 for 116 in a marathon 32-overs.

It was de Grooth, though, who had the final say with a sparkling knock of 196, which helped Holland to a total of 410 all-out - a first-innings lead of 227.

Any hopes of a dramatic comeback for Bermuda were shattered when opener Stephen Outerbridge fell first ball - his second duck of the match.

And it didn't get any better from there as Jekon Edness and Dwight Basden quickly followed leaving Bermuda on 51 for 3 overnight.

The Dutch are expected to wrap up a convincing innings victory this morning with James Celestine (28*) and Roderick Masters (2*) leading Bermuda's rear guard action.

Following on from the two limited over defeats against Denmark, it has been a difficult tour so far.

And while Cann believes Bermuda could and should have done better he turned the spotlight on the stars who had chosen not to turn out for their country.

"We have heard lots of different reasons why guys couldn't play but the bottom line is they are not putting their country first.

"I miss my family, I'm upset because my club side St. David's lost at the weekend without me, but I put my country first.

"The best cricketers in Bermuda would just about hang in there with teams like Denmark and Holland, but when we don't even have our best guys what chance do we have?"[[In-content Ad]]

---