Hemp disappointed with defeat

UAE rattled up 251 for nine in their allotted 50 overs after electing to bat and then restricted Bermuda to 248 for eight.

Top performers in a losing cause for Bermuda were St. David’s islanders Lionel Cann (73) and Chris Foggo (56), who both thumped half-centuries.

Jason Anderson was next high-man with 28.

All-rounder Malachi Jones was the pick of Bermuda’s bowling with figures of three for 35, while part-time spinners Dion Stovell (two for 26) and Irving Romaine (two for 46) claimed two- wickets apiece.

Hemp, who arrived in Dubai this morning, lamented: “All the players are disappointed with the loss, especially as it was a narrow defeat but also as we feel it was a game that we got ourselves into a position to win.”

Leading the team in Hemp’s absence was all-rounder Rodney Trott, who recently completed a stint at the ICC Regional Academy in St. Kitts with team-mate Malachi Jones.

Hemp added: “Trott led the team well, but we all know there is still more hard work to do if we are to do ourselves justice.”

Bermuda’s senior national team will face off with UAE in another WCL warm -up April 2 in Dubai.

The WCL Division Two tournament will consists of six teams (Uganda, Namibia, Papua New Guinea, Hong Kong, Bermuda and UAE) that face off against each other once, with the eventual top two countries advancing to the final.

The eventual top four teams will become eligible for lucrative ICC High Performance funding while two of the top four teams – at the discretion of the ICC’s Development Committee – will join the eight-team ICC Intercontinental Cup to commence later this year.

The fifth and sixth placed teams in Dubai will be relegated to the ICC WCL Division Three.

Bermuda will face an unknown quantity in Papua New Guinea in their opening WCL Division Two fixture April 8 at the ICC Global Cricket Academy Oval in Dubai Sports City.