Bermuda (2pts) 247-8, beat Cayman Islands (0pts) 99, by 148 runs.

Bruised, bloodied, but unbeaten, Bermuda came through their third ICC Americas Championship match with flying colours yesterday.

The home side racked up another big win, this time over Cayman Islands, and will go into today's game against USA full of confidence.

They'll have to do it a man down, with Malachi Jones thrown out of the squad for his ill-advised appearance for Willow Cuts on Sunday, and with several players carrying injuries. But after recovering against Cayman in much the same way as they did against Argentina on Saturday, David Moore's team are showing the kind of intensity and fight that has been missing from the national side for far too long.

Once again Bermuda batted first, and once again they were in trouble early on, struggling to 27 for three after eight overs. This time Janeiro Tucker (77) and Stephen Outerbridge (65) hauled their side to safety with a stand of 109 for the fourth wicket.

And with a spirited innings from Rodney Trott (28) at the end, Bermuda's total was always likely to be out of Cayman's reach.

In the absence of Jones, who had only taken two wickets in the first two games, Jordan DeSilva and Jim West were more than capable of filling the void, taking three wickets each. And they were well backed up by a fielding display that says much for the influence Moore and fielding coach Julian Fountain have already had on the side.

Today they will take that fight, that spirit, and the injuries, into the game against USA, in what will be their hardest test of the tournament so far. It will be quite a step up from the previous games, and Moore is well aware of the size of the task his side is facing.

"We're actually getting better as it has gone on," said Moore. "But again, it's a different opposition, a different standard of opposition, so we know it's going to be a tough task, and if we do win, we're going to have to work very hard for our win.

"I suppose one of the disadvantages with a small squad now is that we have got guys who are carrying injuries, who are going to have to push through for us. And that's something that everyone has accepted, and understands, that guys are going to have to work twice as hard for us. Because even though they are carrying a bit of an injury, or niggle or whatever it might be, they are going to have to work hard because we are just a bit short."

Bermuda are short because Moore took a tough line with Jones and while the wound might be self-inflicted, the Australian said it was a decision he had no hesitation in making.

"It wasn't a hard decision, I didn't even think about," said Moore. "It's not a hard decision because we have set the standards for the team, and we had every other player support those standards, and follow those standards, and one guy who didn't. I'm just remaining consistent to what I have said since I got here."

Moore had been hoping to rest Janeiro Tucker yesterday. Those plans changed, and in the end he was probably grateful to have the Southampton Rangers batsman at his disposal. He will have held his breath though, as did the entire ground, when Tucker got up clutching his elbow after taking a stunning catch to dismiss Abali Hoillet as Cayman collapsed to 56 for six.

Fortunately for the Bermuda head coach, and the rest of the squad, Tucker's injury isn't too serious. "There are no problems there, we don't think," said Moore.

"We got him off because when he dived he bumped it, and we didn't want anything to flare up. That was more precaution than anything else, so he's ok. Others are just battling along, and Craig (Brown) is doing a great job as a physio and putting them all back together again."

Of more concern to the Australian might be the form of his top order batsmen, who all failed again. Fiqre Crockwell was out for a duck for the second game running, while Jekon Edness (0) and David Hemp (1) also fell cheaply. If it hadn't been for some of the 33 wides Cayman bowled, coming down early on, Bermuda could have found themselves one for three.

"I think that the three guys that got out early on, I'm not overly worried about that because they are just getting out in different ways," said Moore.

"Fiqre has been out three different ways, on difficult wickets, and it has been a little bit harder than normal, and today he got out off a good ball that rose off a length, and Jekon got lbw. I'm not worried, I think both of those guys have been in good form, particularly Fiqre who has been in good form coming into this series, he's not very far away from a big score, and hopefully tomorrow (Tuesday) is the day."

DeSilva and Kevin Tucker bowled all their overs at the beginning, and when last-wicket partners Marlon Bryan and Kevin Ebanks stuck around for 12 painful overs at the end, skipper David Hemp would have been forgiven for wishing he had one more fast bowler at his disposal.

The only one left in the squad, however, is Justin Pitcher, and he has been recovering from an injury to his right shoulder. He bowled a few deliveries in a fitness test yesterday, but whether he plays will depend on how much of a risk Moore is willing to take.

"We're thinking about him, but keeping in mind that he hasn't bowled in a match, and he only bowled a few balls in the nets," said Moore. "I'd like him to be a little more further on in his rehabd, he's not as far on as I would like. He's done everything required of him, the injury just hasn't responded as we would have liked."