has a better chance of being fit enough for Bermuda's fourth Shell/Sandals match against Barbados today in Guyana.

Smith has not played since the first game of the Zone A tournament when he scored 54 despite a hamstring pull. And indications are the elegant left-hander will rest further in the hopes of being fit enough for Saturday's match against the Windward Islands.

His batting has been sorely missed as in all three matches Bermuda have not had a solid start. It is one of the worrying aspects for the coaching pair of Allan Douglas and Bob Simpson, with Douglas yesterday hinting at a possible change in the batting order.

In the absence of a specialist opener, Smith was to open the innings with Clay Smith but the injury in the first game forced him to come in at number five.

Captain Albert Steede, who has opened in the first two matches, has not produced with the bat and neither has the likes of Roger Trott, Jeff Richardson and Janeiro Tucker. As a result, Dean Minors may be moved up a place or two in the order.

Bermuda suffered their heaviest defeat so far when they were hammered by ten wickets by group leaders Guyana, scoring just 108 and then watching as the Guyana openers Clayton Lambert and Sudesh Dhaniram blasted 113 in just 17.5 overs.

"(Bermuda players) were disappointed in not at least giving a better showing,'' said Douglas. "We had a meeting right after the game and dealt with a couple of issues, like how the guys were batting. They didn't need me to tell them they weren't up to par, they have to sit back and analyse their own game.'' Yesterday the team worked on some other things, including the batsmen not being allowed to hit the ball in the air.

Douglas still feels the team can win one of their final three matches, with the best chance of victory coming today or on Saturday against the Windwards, who beat them by just two runs in their debut in the competition last weekend.

"We're going to get one,'' he promised. "We're been playing good in spurts but we need to play good cricket for an entire day.

"We just want them to play to their potential.'' Douglas tips Guyana as the team to beat, though he feels they will meet their match in the final against the winners of the Jamaica group.

Former Guyana and West Indies fast bowler Colin Croft thought the Bermuda batsmen should have attacked the opening bowlers Darlington and Semple more, before the slow bowlers came on.

"Their two openers are very ordinary,'' Douglas says. "Their spinner (Mahendra) Nagamootoo just bowls leggies (leg breaks).

"They may be able to bat but they are going to get tested with their bowling, I can guarantee you.'' The Bermuda batsmen will get another test from Barbados fast bowler Otis Gibson, who grabbed four Bermuda wickets in the first match. "Gibson is about the best bowler, he and Cameron Cuffy (Windwards), that I've seen in this tournament,'' said Douglas.