Holland first innings 378

Bermuda first innings 432-6David Hemp and Saleem Mukuddem combined to carve up the Intercontinental Cup record books in a devastating display of batting on the third day of their clash with Holland at the L.C.DeVilliers Oval yesterday.

By the time a heavy thundershower brought a premature end to the day’s proceedings, the two middle order bats had turned the match on its head, destroying Dutch hopes of a place in next year’s cup final with an unbeaten partnership of 213 — the biggest in Bermuda’s first-class cricket history.

Glamorgan skipper Hemp, in only his fifth match for the national team, lashed 143 and will resume this morning just 43 runs shy of his career-best innings of 186.

Mukuddem, unbeaten on 89, has already bettered his previous first-class high of 56.

There was no sign of what was to come as Bermuda, resuming at 128 for two, lost four wickets in the morning session and at one stage appeared in danger of falling well short of the Dutch first innings total of 378.

But Hemp, after an edgy start in which he survived a number of loud lbw appeals, began piling on the runs after lunch with a classy performance which ultimately produced 20 fours and one six in his 26th first-class hundred.

Not to be outdone, Mukuddem, who ended the day battered and bruised after being struck twice on the arm, once on the back and again on the backside, quickly got into his stride, crunching nine fours to finish just 11 runs short of what would be his maiden first-class ton.

Their partnership set a new seventh-wicket Intercontinental Cup record, beating the mark of 122 by Scotland’s Karl Coetzer and Craig Wright, and surpassed Bermuda’s previous best for any wicket — that of 150 set by Clay Smith and Dean Minors against Cayman Islands.

Bermuda’s total at the close was the fourth highest in Intercontinental Cup history.

And with Gus Logie’s men intending to continue to bat this morning, even more records could be in the offing. Already Bermuda have grabbed six first innings batting points, their first of the tournament, denying Holland any chance of replacing Canada in next year’s final.

And while they are virtually assured of a ‘winning’ draw, they could still win the match outright and take maximum points if a full day’s play is possible today.

Stephen Outerbridge, who began yesterday on 61 — his highest score in four-day cricket — added 19 more runs before being bowled by Ryan ten Doeschate for 80 by a ball that kept low with the total on 154.

Skipper Clay Smith then followed, having scored 14, as he was trapped lbw by ten Doeschate — a decision he clearly didn’t agree with. His reaction later earned him an official reprimand from the match referee.

Janeiro Tucker was undone by the spin of Muhammad Kashif, caught by Peter Borren for 10, while Dean Minors also fell to an lbw decision off Daan van Bunge, after adding 12.

Then the rest of the day belonged to Hemp and Mukuddem as a dispirited and frustrated Dutch attack were lashed to all parts of the expansive Oval.

Ten Doeschate, who bowled tightly and tidily during the morning, finished with three for 108 off 32 overs, but figures for the rest of the bowlers, seven of them in all, didn’t make pleasant reading. By lunch Hemp had completed his half-century, and in the 97th over of the innings took the total over 300. The century partnership followed in the 100th over and 10 overs later Hemp whacked spinner Daan van Bunge for another four to complete his ton in 185 balls.

After tea the carnage continued, Mukuddem finding the boundary to complete his 50 and then bringing the sides’ first innings scores level with another four.

Bermuda’s first score of over 400 in the first class game arrived via another Mukuddem boundary, this time off Peter Borren, and the country’s first 200 partnership at this level was sealed when the Western Stars batsman belted skipper Luuk van Troost over the ropes.

Holland’s misery only ended when rain swept across the Pretoria University grounds 13 overs before the scheduled end.

But with Bermuda determined to extend their lead by as much as 150 or 200, and then attempt to bowl their opponents out this afternoon for what would be the most unlikely of victories, the Dutch could be in for another torrid time when play resumes this morning.

Bermuda pile up the runs