Denmark 157

Bermuda 160-1

Bermuda demolished Denmark by nine wickets at Isak Steyl Stadium on Saturday to keep their 2011 World Cup qualification bid alive.

After going down woefully to United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Afghanistan in their opening two matches of the tournament, Bermuda needed a big win and win big they did with 67 balls to spare after restricting the Danes to a paltry total of 157.

"The guys were up for it today and we are still alive," commented a smiling Irving Romaine, the Bermuda skipper.

"Our backs were against the wall but we came out here and played good cricket."

Bermuda, however, still need to beat Group leaders Kenya today in order to retain any chance of advancing to the tournament's 'Super Eight' from which only four teams will qualify for the World Cup.

Pacing Bermuda to the all-important win was opener David Hemp who returned to form with a polished unbeaten 76 off 105 balls in 131 minutes.

The ex-Glamorgan skipper, who earned man-of-the-match honours, mixed patience with controlled aggression and reached a deserved half-century in the 32nd over off 86 balls in 107 minutes.

After playing himself in, Hemp cut loose and banged seven boundaries, including a beautifully timed sweep off fast bowler Henrik Hansen that soared over square leg and disappeared into the nearby bushes for six.

He also shared in two half-century stands that kept his team on track, adding 82 runs for the first wicket with Fiqre Crockwell (36) and a further 78 runs with Stephen Outerbridge (33 not out) in an unbroken second wicket stand that put the match completely beyond the Danes.

Fittingly, it was Hemp who ended this one-sided affair in emphatic fashion with an exquisite cover drive off medium pacer Max Overgaard that cut a path along the outfield as it raced to the fence.

"It was just great to get a win in the competition," said Hemp afterwards.

Crockwell, one of two changes Bermuda made to their squad, repaid the selectors for having faith in him by taking a catch behind the stumps with the gloves and then helping his team get their reply off to a solid start.

The PHC and St.George's Cup Match player hit two boundaries and faced 83 balls and his opening stand with Hemp was by far Bermuda's best to date in the tournament.

Outerbridge, who hit 62 in a losing cause against Afghanistan, faced 44 balls for his runs that included two boundaries.

Earlier, off spinner Rodney Trott and swing bowler Janeiro Tucker joined forces to completely undermine the Dane's batting line-up that crumbled in 48.3 overs.

Trott led the way with superb figures of four for 30 off ten overs, including a maiden, while Tucker returned three for 29 with a maiden.

The veteran all-rounder made the initial breakthrough in the ninth over when he induced an edge off opener Michael Pedersen (19) to trigger a slide which saw Denmark lose three wickets without any addition to the score.

Seamer Jacobi Robinson (two for 24), who replaced fast bowler Stefan Kelly, picked up two wickets in successive overs while at the other end Tucker added the scalps of Craig Pedersen (19) and Max Overgaard (five) to leave Denmark in free-fall at 68 for five in the 21st over.

After another economical spell from left-arm spinner Dwayne Leverock, who went wicketless for 21 off eight, skipper Romaine turned to third change Trott. It was a gamble that paid handsome dividends as the youngster sliced through Denmark's lower order with consumate ease.

Trott opened his account in his fifth over when he trapped Morten Hedegaard (ten) leg before. He also picked up a wicket in his next over, trapping top scorer Bobby Chawla (24) plumb in front and then had David Borchersen (two) caught by Lionel Cann in the deep.

Hendrik Hansen (20) and Bashir Shah (five) added a quickfire 15 runs off 13 as Denmark's tail began to wag. But Trott proved equal to the task and finally broke the bulging stand with the fifth ball of his final over when Shah was grabbed at deep mid wicket by Outerbridge to complete an impressive four-wicket haul.

"I said to myself once I become consistent with my line and length the wickets would come, and that's basically what happened today," said Trott, summing up the day's effort.

Last man Hansen hung around for another ten balls to delay the inevitable before he was bowled by Romaine to leave Bermuda with a straightforward target to pull down.

Orthodox left-arm spinner Shah (one for 20) accounted for the sole Bermuda wicket to fall, that of Crockwell who fell prey to a sharp catch in the covers.

As encouraging as it may have been, Bermuda's refreshing triumph might have come at a cost as fast bowler George O'Brien jr limped off with a suspected knee injury while veteran batsman Glenn Blakeney bruised his left thumb fielding in the covers.