Bermuda 183 & 183

Netherlands 410

Dwayne (Sluggo) Leverock helped himself to a second Intercontinental Cup half century in Amstelveen yesterday.

But it still wasn't enough to spare a depleted Bermuda the humiliation of a crushing innings-and-44-run defeat at the hands of hosts Netherlands.

Bermuda were dismissed for 183 for the second time in the match, less than an hour following the luncheon interval, still 44 runs in arrears to Holland's massive first innings total of 410 all out.

Leverock led the tourists' resistance with a determined 52 off 114 balls in 143 minutes to prolong the inevitable until he skied a delivery from off spinner Adeel Raja off the toe of the bat and was cleanly taken behind to give wicketkeeper and Dutch skipper Jeroen Smits his third catch of the innings.

Leverock, again demonstrating that he is no slouch with the bat either, stroked five fours and completed his second half century against the hosts at this level off 106 balls in 128 minutes.

He also shared in a 24-run tenth-wicket stand with tailender Ryan Steede (seven not out), before he was the last wicket to fall shortly after being dropped attempting another boundary off Raja off the bowler's own bowling.

Overnight batsman James Celestine (31), skipper Irving Romaine (23), Lionel Cann (18) and Arthur Pitcher Jr. (16) all managed promising starts, but failed to turn them into potentially match-saving innings.

Leg spinner Mangesh Panchal snatched three for 45 off 14 overs with three maidens to carry the Dutch attack on his shoulders for the second time in the match and take his overall match haul to eight. And he received solid support from seamer Edgar Schiferli (three for 50) who was involved in a heated verbal exchange with Cann that held up play for several minutes in the 29th over before cooler heads eventually prevailed.

Bermuda resumed their second innings yesterday 176 runs in arrears after going to bed at 51 for three, but could add only two runs to their overnight total before disaster struck to give the Dutch early success.

Celestine was caught well outside of the crease at the non-striker's end in the third over of the day after being sent back by overnight watchman Roderick Masters (eight) after the pair had added 34 runs for the fourth wicket in ten overs. The Grenada-born batsman, making his Intercontinental Cup debut, faced 53 balls and hit four fours and a six before senselessly throwing his wicket away.

Celestine's dismissal triggered a slide as Bermuda, in desperate need of occupying the crease for as long as possible in order to salvage something from the match, lost the additional wickets of skipper Romaine and Masters in the space of 29 runs.

A belligerent Romaine entertained those gathered with some glorious shots all around the ground, punishing anything wayward with disdain to the fence. But after facing 15 deliveries and clobbering five fours, Romaine's boundary-filled innings was cut short when a Schiferli away swinger found the edge of the Bermuda skipper's bat and was comfortably gloved behind by Smits.

A more patient Masters then departed four runs later in similar fashion, with the Dutch now well and truly on the march towards victory.

A subdued Cann hung around for as long as he could before his natural aggressive instincts finally got the better of him and he was caught attempting to sweep the ball backward of square. He faced 28 balls and gathered two boundaries.

Leverock was then joined by Pitcher at the crease and together the pair steadied the innings as Bermuda limped to 154 for seven at lunch ¿ still 73 runs in first-innings arrears.

But Panchal snapped up two quick wickets when play resumed as the Dutch regained control of the match. Pitcher was first to go after slicing a delivery into the hands of Bas Zuiderent fielding at first slip and St.David's team-mate George O'Brien soon followed after having his off stump uprooted attempting to pull across the line to leave the tourists staring down the barrel of defeat.

The determined Leverock and Steede fought on, however, and were able to frustrate the hosts for another nine overs.

Showing the necessary resolve those who had gone before lacked, the pair played each delivery on its merit and admirably rotated the strike before the persistent Raja finally made the breakthrough in the 59th over to condemn Bermuda to their heaviest Intercontinental Cup defeat to date.