The overwhelming humiliation of two depleted Bermudian cricket teams by Barbados over the weekend has left authorities and fans asking why many of the "top dogs" in Bermuda failed to compete in the matches.

The likes of Albert Steede, Glenn Blakeney, Jermaine Postlethwaite, Janeiro Tucker and Charlie Marshall did not figure in either the Bermuda Cricket Board (BCB) Select or the Cup Match Select which turned out against the triple-crown Caribbean champions at Somerset Cricket Club.

Hearing that some players declined invitations to play in either or both games, irate Bermudians queried why so many of the Island's best cricketers did not see fit to make themselves available to represent their country.

So deplete were the ranks that five players who have never been selected for Cup Match had to be summoned for yesterday's game which was to feature a combined Somerset/St. George's Cup Match team.

Ironically, two players who, along with Clay Smith, Stephen Outerbridge and Jacobi Robinson, turned out for Bermuda in both games were expatriates - Saleem Mukuddem (South Africa) and Wendell White who opposed his compatriots.

One of the Island's best-known cricket fans, who asked not to be named, echoed the criticism of many persons yesterday evening as she watched the Cup Match Select receive an absolute mauling from the Bajans.

"Everyone is saying that they (the absent players) are afraid of the fast bowling. That's the opinion of a lot of people and I agree. That's nonsense that they are getting on with. Where are they going to get exposure from if they don't play these kinds of teams?

"I don't care what they are claiming about work and other commitments, they have known about these matches for a long time.

"They should be ashamed not to turn out for Bermuda, for their country!"

On Saturday, Barbados romped to victory by 127 runs, amassing 252 in 40.5 overs before skittling out the BCB team for 125 in 35.3 overs. Yesterday, the damage was of Hurricane Fabian-like proportions as Barbados destroyed the Cup Match Select by 279 runs on the crest of a ruthless 182 not out from burly opener Philo Wallace.

His unbeaten century was the mainstay of Barbados' 333 for six wickets in 50 overs. Starting with a first-wicket stand of 82 with Dale Richards (35; seven fours), the 33-year-old introduced the ball to all parts of the western ground. Wallace raced to 50 off 54 balls and 100 off 117 of his 172 balls, smashing 18 fours and seven sixes.

That superb effort was then backed up by pace like fire from a bowling attack boasting two West Indies players who were to figure prominently as the Cup Match unit crumbled for an abysmal 54 in 16.1 overs, including five ducks.

First, Tino Best and then Fidel Edwards ripped the guts out of the batting as they, along with the promising Jason Bennett, had the white ball whizzing off the wicket.

Best accounted for the first three wickets, trapping Curtis Jackson leg before for nought and then having Kwame Tucker and Outerbridge caught behind for five and one respectively.

Smith, captaining the Cup Match squad, stuck around for a dogged 20 despite an obvious knee injury that hindered his running. He was the first of Edwards' victims, caught behind.

At that point it was 47 for five and Edwards who - despite being hand-picked by West Indies skipper Brian Lara to play against Sri Lanka - is now representing Barbados for the first time, proceeded to lead the final kill.

After Bennett bowled Reid Jones with a ball that the latter knew little about, Edwards bowled Corey Hill and Robinson with successive deliveries to make it 52 for eight. Two runs later, he put Kameron Fox flat on his backside before also sending him packing via the same route. Bennett completed the devastation as White (13) clipped him to Floyd Reifer at slip.

Edwards finished with four for 28 from five overs while Best took three for 15 from three and Bennett two for three from 3.1 overs.

On Saturday, a 42-run partnership between Clay Smith and Philip Burgess for the third wicket was the BCB team's best effort in reply to the Barbados total of 252. After their depatures, wickets tumbled consistently as the BCB squad managed just 125.

While the fast bowlers While the fast bowlers chipped in, it was the left-arm orthodox spin of Sulieman Benn that had the Island's batsmen in all sorts of trouble. The lanky six-footer took four for 28 from nine overs and Best returned two for 15 off five overs. Four other bowlers took a wicket each.

Mukuddem top-scored for BCB with 23 while Smith made 21. There were 39 extras.

Barbados' innings had healthy contributions throughout with captain Courtney Browne leading by example with 67 (six fours; four sixes). Ryan Hinds was run out for 66 and Kurt Wilkinson scored 42 before Peter Philpott dismantled his stumps. White took four wickets for ten runs off four overs for the BCB and Philpott, two for 57 off eight overs.

Despite his team's 2-0 winning record so far, Browne is not satisfied that the batting is firing as it should, noting that minus Wallace's knock yesterday the Barbados line-up fell below par.

"The younger batsmen in the side really didn't come up to scratch. We have to step up and get bigger scores. The sad thing is that Philo isn't going to be with us so we need the others to buckle down and get some scores behind their names.

"These young guys have to realise that against weak opposition you must always score runs, especially if you have intentions to play at a higher level," he said, adding that the bowlers are doing "pretty well".

National coach Mark Harper, who oversaw the BCB Select on Saturday, was very disappointed with their showing, saying he thought "we could have been more competitive".

"We didn't do too bad in the field. They had a good start but we came back and bowled them out for a reasonable total even though some chances went a-begging and we could have dismissed them for around 220.

"In the batting, we should have gotten another 60 runs or so. It's a learning experience for these guys facing this quality attack with Test and good first-class bowlers."