Sent in to bat on a sticky wicket, Bermuda made a dreadful start and never recovered in five-wicket loss to Derbyshire at Lord's on Saturday.

Overnight and early morning rain played a major part in the outcome with the start delayed by 90 minutes.

The tourists rested Test pace bowler Devon Malcolm because the run-up areas were made too soft by the rain and, despite the 11.30 a.m. start, it was decided that a 50-over game could be accomplished.

However, Bermuda's fate was virtually sealed well inside the first hour's play when three wickets fell for 14 runs.

Bermuda, with both Dennis Archer and makeshift opener Arnold Manders, having hit boundaries, looked comfortable in the opening overs.

But it was perhaps that misguided comfort that proved their undoing. First Archer, looking to score, was beaten by an Ole Mortensen inswinger and lost his leg stump as he walked into the shot with the score 11 and his contribution six. Archer has yet to score over 20 for Bermuda in seven innings, including the recent Barbados tour.

Archer's dismissal came at the end of the third over, which had to make Manders' out the more frustrating for Bermuda on the first ball of the next over, attempting to hit out.

Derbyshire gambled with their top wicket-taker on the tour, left-arm leg-spinner Richard Sladdin, opening the bowling. And after a shaky opening over he was presented a wicket. Tim O'Gorman took a fine running catch from mid-on, covering at least 20 yards to dismiss Manders for four.

Noel Gibbons had made one run when he played a reckless shot and was gently caught in the covers by Chris Adams off a Mortensen half-volley outside the off stump.

That left skipper Albert Steede and Glenn Smith, making his Bermuda debut, at the wicket with 14 runs in the seventh over.

This youthful combination did well to repair the damage in a 35-run stand that spanned 11 overs. But Smith, after hitting a six and two fours, became too adventurous and was out lbw to off-spinner Peter Bowler for 18 attempting to pull a short ball that pitched on leg stump.

Steede and new partner Jeff Richardson added 27 for the fifth wicket. But the recovery was further stunted by the return of Sladdin for a second spell. The chunky lefty beat Steede in the air in his second over of the new spell and gave wicket-keeper Karl Krikken an easy stumping opportunity.

Steede faced 76 balls in 77 minutes and hit a six and a four in his knock of 30.

The onus was then placed on Richardson who responded in kind with a patient performance. His timing was not what his most ardent supporters are accustomed to, but Richardson grafted his way to 34 before being eighth out with the total 114.

In between, Barnett took a splendid, one-hand catch at short mid-wicket to dismiss Clevie Wade for one and give Sladdin his 13th wicket on tour; and Jermaine Outerbridge, the other youngster making his Bermuda debut, backed up too far and was run out.

Sladdin finished with three for 22 from 10 overs while Mortensen had two for 19 from eight, Bowler two for 29 from eight and Barnett two for 24 from four.

The foundation for the Derbyshire innings was set by the opening pair of Bowler and Adams who put on 61 in 23-plus overs before Adams was caught at mid-off by Wade off Gibbons for 27.

Bermuda had a period in the ascendancy from here as three wickets fell for 22 runs. But Dominic Cork, who by the way bowled economically in the middle of the Bermuda innings, partnered O'Gorman in a 39-run stand for the fifth wicket that effectively drenched home team aspirations.

Opening bat Bowler hit six fours in top-scoring with 44 while O'Gorman made a patient 23 and Cork was still there on 28 when it was all over.

Derbyshire took no chances against Manders in his tactical role and he finished with none for 18 from eight overs, but Gibbons weighed in with two for 18 from 10 and Wade two for 19 from 10 in the midst of the Bermuda uprising.

"I was disappointed with the early bats. They didn't play well at all,'' said English coach Doug Ferguson who just arrived for a few months with the national squad. "We had to bat to 2.30 and were out before 2.00 and that created pressure for us.

"The bowlers did well and the fielding was excellent. But 133 was never enough to challenge a first-class county side like Derbyshire. We needed at least 175 to make them fight.'' Arnold Manders.