Bermuda 169-3 Cayman Islands 123-9

Captain Stephen Outerbridge produced his best knock in Florida yesterday when his innings of 59 from 47 balls set the stage for a comfortable score of 169-3 and ultimately a 46-run victory in their third match of the week.

Outerbridge and Dion Stovell (32 off 29 balls) added 81 for the first wicket in 10 overs after Bermuda were put in to bat by the Cayman Islands. Stovell hit five fours before his dismissal, with Outerbridge departing in the 15th over shortly after he and Janeiro Tucker posted the 100. Outerbridge hit eight fours. Tucker, Bermuda’s in-form batsman, carried on to the end of the innings to score 46 not out from just 27 balls off two fours and three sixes.

Tucker got good support late in the innings from Lionel Cann’s 29 off 16 balls which included a four and three sixes as the pair accelerated the scoring before Cann departed in the final over. The Cayman bowlers had little success as no bowler took more than one wicket.

Cayman struggled in the batting, too, as some tight bowling by Bermuda allowed them to score at about five runs an over early on, losing their first two wickets in the 20s and the third on 57. Janeiro Tucker’s medium pacers picked up three for 22 from fours overs while Greg Maybury, first change after Malachi Jones shared the new ball with spinner Rodney Trott, supported with two for 21. Jones and Jacobi Robinson picked up a wicket each while Trott gave up 26 runs in his four overs without a wicket.

Opener Ian Rotsey was the top batsman for Cayman with 32 off 39 balls while Kevin Bazil scored 26 from 28 balls.

Bermuda suffer first defeat in Florida

By Lawrence Trott, The Royal Gazette

Bermuda 133-8 United States 134-7

Bermuda suffered their first loss in the ICC Americas Division 1 T20 Tournament in Fort Lauderdale, going down to the United States by three wickets in their second match today at the Central Broward County Stadium.

Bermuda fell about 30 runs short of what could have been a challenging total for the Americans as Janeiro Tucker continued his good form with the bat with a top knock of 36 while opener Dion Stovell scored 35 and David Hemp a run-a-ball 26 as Lionel Cann was stumped first ball and Rodney Trott and Malachi Jones could only manage six each in the middle order.

In reply the Americans, 58-4 at one point, crossed the score with three wickets in hand and just five balls to spare to remain the only unbeaten team in the five team tournament after four matches.

Coach Arnold Manders knew the United States would provide Bermuda with their biggest test so far, but he is also encouraged by the team’s performance which took the match down to the final few deliveries.

“We were probably 20 runs short against the United States but they (Bermuda) fielded extremely well which kept them in the game,” said Manders. “It started to sprinkle and Duckworth/Lewis was starting to come into play and we were ahead for most of the time until we had a couple of bad overs and they eventually beat us by three wickets.

‘Maybe, I’m a little disappointed but the way that they applied themselves and tried to pull themselves back into the game was a good process and you can’t knock them for that.

“When we played the first match the temperature was in the high 80s today, and then we had to play again, but that’s what you have to do in tournament play. They didn’t give up and fought themselves back into the match and we were probably one bowler short today, another quickie.”

The margin of defeat, Manders feels, is an indication that they have a good chance against the Americans when the teams meet again on Friday after today’s rest day. Again, they will play Cayman in the morning and then the US in the afternoon.

“There were a few things we could have done better batting and in the field placements. I’m disappointed, but happy with the way they performed after playing two matches in a day,” said Manders.

“We know that if we play to the way we planned and execute it properly we can beat the United States. Today they only played one match and we had already played a match. We just need to pick ourselves up and make sure we win all the other games and still take the tournament. We just need a few more good wins and we are back in it.”

On Tuesday (19) Suriname also beat Cayman Islands

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http://www.royalgazette.com/article/20130320/SPORT02/703209914