KUALA LAMPUR, Malaysia -- Bermuda opened their 1997 ICC Trophy tournament account with an ultimately comfortable win over newcomers Italy at the Kilat Kelab Cricket Club grounds yesterday.

Man of the match Charlie Marshall and Clay Smith put on 95 runs for the third wicket to take the team to the brink of victory, but it could have been much more ticklish for Bermuda had the Italians made the most of their chances.

Both batsmen gave relatively simple chances early in their innings, Smith when he was on four and Marshall on 17. And having been joined at the wicket at 33 for two, the situation could have indeed become dire.

But the pair made the most of their fortune, Marshall going on to post 47, while Smith was unbeaten at the end on 43, having been spared another life -- this time a bungled run out attempt -- when on 31.

Openers Albert Steede and Roger Trott got the team off to a lively start until the former was caught behind for nine trying to play a back-foot forcing shot with the score on 22.

Trott, making his tournament debut, just looked to be coming out of a scratchy start when he was adjudged lbw on 16.

Both wickets fell to Pakistani-born Rajapakse Gamini, who in tandem with compatriot Akhlaq Qureshi, form a useful new ball pairing for the Italians.

The new batsmen always looked comfortable but had difficulty with their timing, both chances given due to leading edges.

Afterwards, they settled down nicely with the exception of the one run out chance when Smith was stranded at the striker's end with Marshall after the latter called and then said no.

Nevertheless, all ended well as the same fielder who spilled the simple offering from Marshall at mid-off made a dreadful throw to the bowler's end with Smith halfway.

Marshall, who opened his account with a monstrous six over mid-wicket, finished with three fours in his 65-ball knock. But it ended with the scores tied, leaving Glenn Smith with the task of walking to the bowler's end to watch Clay Smith score the winning run.

Clay Smith hit a six and four fours from 61 balls.

The Italian batting approach after being sent in by Bermuda was simplicity personified, as their top four took precious few chances.

So it was no real surprise that they were 61 for one or that half of their allotted 50 overs had been used.

The breakthrough had been achieved by young Kevin Hurdle, who trapped Andrea Amati (two) in front when the score was eight.

Valerio Zuppiroli (19) and Benito Giordano (23) then produced the highlight of the day for the massive underdogs with a fine stand, which was aided by a preponderance of wides. Bermuda sent down an alarming 20 yesterday.

But the pair fell within three runs of each other, both to medium-pacer Janeiro Tucker. Qureshi (18) and Mohammad Razzaq (12) then added 31 in only five overs but the latter perished by hitting an Arnold Manders full toss straight to Hurdle on the mid-wicket boundary.

With that dismissal went Italy's chances of a good total as Razzaq in particular had looked threatening.

Manders struggled for control early in his 10-over spell but seized the opportunity to pick up two more wickets and finish with three for 18.

Tucker took two for 31 from 10 overs while Hurdle had one for 16 and Clay Smith one for 10.

Bermuda face a significantly stiffer challenge against Hong Kong today at the Victoria Institute ground. Bruce Perinchief replaces Kameron Fox in the only change announced from yesterday's team.

The one telling blow that Bermuda did suffer occurred off the field as consultant Bobby Simpson was struck in the leg during a net session, causing severe swelling and an overnight stay at a nearby hospital to avert any chance there might be of blood clotting. In recent years Simpson has had difficulty with his legs, most notably during the 1995 Australian tour of the West Indies which caused him to miss a Test match.

While Bermuda's was the only match in Group D there were six others in and around Kuala Lumpur yesterday.

The most significant was the record-setting performance by Holland to dismiss East and Central Africa for 25 runs. That broke the low scoring record set by Israel (45 versus Denmark) at the last tournament.

Dutch import Assim Khan returned figures of seven for nine to displace Dane Ole Mortensen's seven for 21 in the previously mentioned match as the all-time best bowling figures. Holland won the match by eight wickets.

Other scores: Group A: Israel 154-8, Kenya 157-3; Ireland 278-2, Gibraltar 86; United States 229-8, Singapore 112.

Group B: West Africa 71, United Arab Emirates 73-3; Denmark 143, Malaysia 111; Argentina 138, Bangladesh 142-5.

Today's schedule: Group A: United States v Gibraltar; Kenya v Singapore.

Group B: Malaysia v Argentina; Bangladesh v West Africa.

Group C: Holland v Namibia; Canada v Fiji.

Group D: Bermuda v Hong Kong; Scotland v Papua New Guinea.

CLAY SMITH -- survived two chances on his way to an unbeaten 43.