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For Bermuda batsman Stephen Outerbridge his first international century on Sunday was more than just a milestone in his cricket career. It also meant redemption.

The young left-hander has always been one of Bermuda's brightest talents.

But after several years of touring, going to academies and attending a cricket school in the U.K., even he was beginning to wonder if he would ever turn his potential into results.

"It was a big deal for me," said Outerbridge, after reaching triple figures by dispatching consecutive full tosses from Scotland spinner Ross Lyons to the boundary for four.

"It's been a long time coming and I've taken a lot of abuse from Bermuda people, saying I was a waste of money, but it shows if you do invest in your people, what can happen.

"I did doubt myself, many times. Sometimes you do wonder if you will ever reach the potential people see in you.

"There were plenty of nights going home, looking in the mirror, saying is this really worth it?"

But while others became frustrated and threw in the towel, Outerbridge persisted. He's one of the few players to have made himself available for virtually every tour and has become one of the senior figures in Gus Logie's new-look squad.

"Clay Smith is always talking to me about the mental approach - about having the belief in yourself when other people doubt you.

"If I didn't have that I wouldn't be here talking to you now."

Outerbridge had been in good form since requesting a move from his usual opening slot into the middle order on the Canada tour, where he scored two half-centuries batting at four. But he admits reaching triple figures for the first time was a major psychological breakthrough.

"I've done a lot of work on my technique and my approach - trying to hit the percentage ball more. In the first innings I left my gameplan at home, I got carried away playing infront of my home crowd and I played too aggressively.

"The second innings I just took a positive, disciplined approach and picked off the bad balls. Everything went to plan. Hopefully there will be more to come."

Outerbridge's 113, which came from 250 balls and included 13 fours, was the bedrock of Bermuda's second-innings total of 265 all out as they fought back from the brink of a thrashing to achieve respectability in their first home game in four years.

The classy Bailey's Bay batsman, whose previous best for his country was 96 in a one-day game against the Cayman Islands, admitted he had felt the pressure as he moved in to the 'nervous nineties' on Sunday morning.

"Thankfully Ross Lyons threw down two full tosses and I just drove them through the covers for four. That was probably the easiest way to get it.

"I was at the ICC Academy with him a few years ago, so maybe it was a gift. I thanked him for it at lunch."

Outerbridge's innings was not enough to stop Bermuda falling to a 107-run defeat against Scotland.

But the 25-year-old was encouraged by the way the team came back from the brink of a hammering after being bowled out for 106 in the first-innings and then set a near-impossible victory target of 373.

"In the first innings we put ourselves behind the eight ball but to come out fighting like this, that's something we can build on. In the past we have rolled over in those situations."

One disappointment for Outerbridge was the size of the crowd at the National Sports Centre. Though there were up to 300 people at the game on Thursday and Friday those numbers dwindled at the weekend to roughly 100, with many cricket fans opting to attend Western County instead.

But the batsman believes a one-day series - something he reckons the wicket at the NSC is well capable of hosting - would bring in the punters.

"I'd really like to play some one day games here under the lights and have a real big Bermudian crowd.

"We are a decent four day team but we are better at one-day cricket."[[In-content Ad]]

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