Bermuda's World Cup qualifying hopes suffered a devastating blow in South Africa yesterday with star batsman Chris Douglas requiring surgery for a suspected broken left thumb.

Fielding at short cover, the 19-year-old opening batsman injured himself as Bermuda defeated Northerns Cricket Club in their first warm-up match ahead of next month's World Cup qualifiers.

Douglas executed a sizzling catch off the bat of Bafana Mhlangu at ankle height in the 36th over of the home team's innings and immediately left the field.

He was taken to a local hospital where he underwent surgery last night.

"This was certainly not what we wanted at this stage," commented Gus Logie, the Bermuda coach. "Chris' thumb on his left hand was pretty damaged to the extent that it had to be operated on and we are all saddened by the incident."

It is now highly unlikely the Warwick player will take any further part in his team's Cup qualifying plans and should he be ruled out his omission from the squad would prompt the Bermuda selectors to send a reinforcement to fill the void.

"When the doctor gives us the injury report after the operation then we will know for sure the length of time he will be out and if need be we will have to call on a reserve," added Logie.

Douglas' misfortunes put a damper on Bermuda's otherwise inspiring 71-run win over Northerns Cricket Club at the High Performance Centre University of Pretoria.

Led by stubborn knocks of 43 and 39 by Fiqre Crockwell and the returning Glenn Blakeney, Bermuda posted 173 for eight in their allotted 50 overs and then knocked their hosts down for 102 in 37.2 overs with seamer Stephen Outerbridge inflicting the heaviest damage on the way to a memorable five-wicket haul.

Despite the presence of moisture on the pitch, Bermuda opted to take first strike and might have regretted their decision when they found themselves two down with only 34 runs on the board.

But any thoughts the home team might have had of making further inroads were dashed as Blakeney and Crockwell added 63 runs, the highest stand of the innings, to halt the slide.

Blakeney eventually departed with the score on 97 when he was trapped leg before. And his dismissal triggered a collapse as Bermuda lost four wickets for the addition of 35 runs to enable the South Africans to regain control.

But an unbeaten 21 from the bat of wicketkeeper/batsman Jekon Edness steadied the ship and carried Bermuda's total to a more respectable region that ultimately proved well beyond the hosts' reach.

Medium pacer John Manqle took three for 23 to lead the South African bowling attack and received good support from off-spinner Bernie Mokonyama who had two for 32.

Having done well to restrict Bermuda under the double century mark, the South Africans made a complete mess in their reply as wickets tumbled at regular intervals with part-time bowler Outerbridge leading the charge.

The Bailey's Bay player made the breakthrough when he had opener Karala Chilamramunwa caught behind by wicketkeeper Edness and with the wink of an eye Bermuda's hosts slumped from 28 for one to 60 for five and never recovered.

Chilamramunwa's fellow opening partner, Mpho Selowa, led his team's brittle resistance with a knock of 38 from 53 deliveries followed by contributions of 14 and 12 not out from Mhlangu and Tom Khoza.

Outerbridge finished with superb figures of five for 27 off only seven overs and was backed up by off-spinner Tamauri Tucker who had two for 14 off ten overs with two maidens respectively.

Seamer Kyle Hodsoll, playing in memory of late mother Sharon, had one for 20 while former English County player David Hemp was the catalyst behind two run outs.

"Today was more about assessing the local conditions and although we didn't do as well as we may have liked, we still managed a winning start," Logie added. "Our players realise where they went wrong and now hopefully they can put things right over the next few days. And I am certain we will be able to go from strength to strength."

BERMUDA v NORTHERNS CRICKET CLUB

Bermuda won by 71 runs at the High Performance University of Pretoria yesterday.

Bermuda

C.Douglas c K.Chilamramunwa b S.Mafokeng 0

L.Cann c K.Mogotlan b H.Mothda 17

G.Blakeney lbw B.Mokonyama 39

F.Crockwell c R.Mabotja b J.Manqle 43

S.Outerbridge stpwk M.Seldwa b T.Khoza 0

I.Romaine (capt) c S.Mafokeng b Manqle 26

D.Hemp c T.Khoza b B.Monkoyama 4

J.Edness (wk) not out 21

R.Trott c R.Mabotja b Manqle 3

S.Kelly not out 2

Extras (1-lb, 1nb, 6w) 18

Total (for eight wkts, 50 overs) 173

Did not bat: Tamauri Tucker

Fall of wickets: 1-5, 2-34, 3-97, 4-100, 5-124, 6-132, 7-155, 8-164.

Bowling: S.Mafokeng 5-0-16-1; H.Mothda 5-0-23-1; R.Mabotja 6-1-20-0; K.Mogotlane 5-0-12-0; T.Khoza 10-1-20-1; B.Mhlangu 3-0-28-0; B.Mokonyama 10-0-32-2; J.Manqle 6-0-23-3

Northerns CC

M.Selowa c S.Kelly b S.Outerbridge 38

K.Chilamramunwa cwk J.Edness b S.Outerbridge 7

J.Manqle c K.Hodsoll b Outerbridge 9

J.Mokonyama (capt) cwk J.Edness b Outerbridge 3

C.Ponela c F.Crockwell b T.Tucker 8

B.Monkonyama lbw Outerbridge 0

R.Mabotja c Kelly b Tucker 4

B.Mhlangu c Douglas b K.Hodsoll 14

T.Khoza not out 12

S.Mafokeng run out (Hemp) 0

K.Mogatlane run out (Hemp) 0

Extras (2 nb, 5w) 7

Total (all out, 37.2 overs) 102

Fall of wickets: 1-28, 2-57, 3-59, 4-60, 5-60, 6-71, 7-80, 8-99, 9-99

Bowling: S.Kelly 7-0-24-0; K.Hodsoll 5.2-1-20-1; S.Outebridge 7-0-27-5; T.Tucker 10-2-14-2; R.Trott 6-0-13-0; C.Douglas 2-0-4-0.