January 30, 2013 at 5:54 p.m.
Youth come through in series victory
An inexperienced side lost by 77 runs to Canada in the final game of their three-match series. But that did not stop them from celebrating a 2-1 win - a victory made all the more momentous for the fact that it was so unexpected.
After more than two years Bermuda had only won five of its 27 one-day-internationals and just one series win, against the Canadians, to its name. Many of its star players had retired, quit through work commitments or were simply fed up of losing.
The squad that travelled to Canada was packed with youngsters and was very much a 'rebuilding side'. Expected to compete and gain experience, but not, realistically to win.
But win they did, grinding out back-to-back victories over the weekend before resting some of their top players and going down heavily in yesterday's dead rubber.
The most encouraging thing, for coach Gus Logie, was the performances of the emerging young stars and the maturing of some of his less predictable talents over the course of the three games.
Stephen Outerbridge, Chris Foggo, Jekon Edness and Rodney Trott all made valuable contributions with the bat.
George O'Brien returned to form leading the attack with the ball and spinners Trott and Tamauri Tucker got amongst the wickets.
Even in yesterday's heavy defeat there were some encouraging signs with a very young team hanging in there against experienced Canada.
With O'Brien, Dwayne Leverock and Ryan Steede rested, the team featured five players from the Under-19 side. In fact, only skipper Romaine and James Celestine were over 25.
It was a baptism of fire at times, for the young bowlers, with Canadian opener Abdool Samad battering the boundary boards on his way to a swashbuckling 130 from 117 balls.
Samad was almost stumped by Jekon Edness on 78 and then dropped by Stephen Outerbridge on 79. And he made Bermuda pay, accelerating from the seventies to 130 in the space of a few overs. The brunt of his wrath was reserved for skipper Irving Romaine who was belted for 16 in one over.
Samad, ably supported by the impressive Ashish Bagai (84) was finally dismissed when McLaren Smith took a stunning running catch on the boundary off the bowling of Trott.
Bagai soon followed, caught by Chris Foggo off the impressive Tamauri Tucker, who cleaned up the tail-end to finish with figures of four for 56 as Canada posted a target of 277.
It was a gettable total on a hard wicket with a fast outfield but Bermuda's run chase started in the worst possible manner, with openers Foggo and Oronde Bascome and number three bat James Celestine falling early to ill-judged shots.
Irving Romaine (60) and Stephen Outerbridge, who batted beautifully, dug Bermuda out of trouble. But once Outerbridge fell, bowled by Qaiser Ali for 56, they were never likely to reach their target and the goal became batting out 50 overs and passing 200.
Jekon Edness (17*), who has been in fine form on this tour and put in a match winning cameo on Saturday, gave it his best shot but Bermuda finished 199 for seven.
After the game Canada's match winner Samad said he was pleased to finally get the better of Bermuda's spinners after they had tied Canada down in the previous two games.
"We were really working in the nets on playing spin because they got on top of us in the first two games.
"That's been a weakness of mine since I came into the team and it's something I've worked on so I was pleased to be able to target the spinners today."
Despite giving them a battering today Samad was impressed with Bermuda's slow bowling attack - particularly Rodney Trott.
"Trott is the best spinner you have. The others put it on the spot and keep it tight but he has more variety. He has an excellent arm ball and we found him very hard to read."
The day may have ended in defeat for Bermuda but that takes nothing away from the fact that they have won the series after so many defeats recently and are on the right path as the international season begins.
Game 1: Bermuda 158 for 7 in 35.3 overs (Chris Foggo 60, Qaiser Ali 3 for 28) beat Canada 155 for 9 in 36 overs (Ashis Bagai 60, Tamauri Tucker 2 for 25) by three wickets. Match reduced to 36-overs-a-side due to rain.
Game 2: Bermuda 201 for 8 in 50 overs (Rodney Trott 48*, Stephen Outerbridge 42, Jekon Edness 35) beat Canada 184 all out (Sunil Dhaniraim 79, George O'Brien 3 for 31, Trott 2 for 44) by 11 runs (Bermuda total revised to 195 when game under Duckworth Lewis method after rain delay)
Game 3: Canada 276 for 9 in 50 overs (Abdool Samad 130, Bagai 84, Tucker 4 for 56, Trott 2 for 39) beat Bermuda 199 for 7 in 50 overs (Irving Romain 60, Outerbridge 56, Eion Katchay 3 for 39) by 77 runs.[[In-content Ad]]
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