Bermuda Under-19s 177-9

Dominican Schools 178-5

A disciplined bowling performance from Bermuda Under-19s proved insufficient in Barbados yesterday as a talented Dominican Schools side secured victory with only two balls to spare at the Sir Gary Sobers International Schools Tournament.

Despite a good start batting first in the morning, a middle- order collapse pegged Rodney Trott’s team back to a relatively meagre 177 off their 40 overs — a total which, though well defended, was always likely to prove too few in such batsman-friendly conditions.

Fresh from a 20-run victory over a Queen’s Park Combined XI on Monday, Trott called correctly during the early morning toss at the James Bryan ground in Christchurch and had no hesitation in batting first on a hard, dry strip which promised good pace and even bounce.

And much like they did on Monday against Queen’s Park, the team got off to a decent start — with openers Stephen Bremar and Chris Douglas putting on 43 for the first wicket in the space of only eight overs.

But once Bremar was dismissed for a well-made 20, the situation went awry as three of Bermuda’s senior middle-order batsmen — including Malachi Jones (0), Rodney Trott (one) and Terry Fray (one) — were all dismissed cheaply.

World Cup star Jones was adjudged lbw off his very first ball — though according to Under-19 coach Andre Manders, the decision was distinctly dubious.

At 143 for nine with 10 overs remaining, Bermuda’s young cricketers were up against it.

But thanks to a timely and patient last-wicket partnership between Kyle Hodsoll and Tamari Tucker, who added 33 precious runs under intense pressure from the Dominican attack, the total was dragged painstakingly towards something resembling respectability.

Douglas top-scored for the Island for the second day in a row with 71 — an effort made all the more impressive with wickets tumbling around him.

In reply, the Dominicans too enjoyed their time against the new ball, reaching 88 before losing their first wicket in the 20th over.

The introduction of off-spinner Tamari Tucker into the attack made life altogether more difficult, however, with the young tweaker proving both penetrative and economical in recording figures of three for 34 off his allotted eight overs.

A run out and a wicket for Maurico Bassett pegged the Dominicans back even further in the middle phase of the innings, though with wickets in hand they remained very much the favourites.

A target of 19 runs off four overs soon became two runs off six balls — and despite the best efforts of Malachi Jones (who was given the responsibility of bowling the last over and succeeded in bowling three dot balls in succession), the two Dominican batsmen at the crease scrambled the required runs off the second to last ball.

Casmine Benjamin top-scored for the Dominicans with 60.

Despite the defeat and middle-order batting wobbles, Manders refused to be downbeat — pointing to a succession of marginal umpiring decisions which he felt swung the match in the opposition’s favour.

“It’s obviously disappointing to lose, but it has to be said there were quite a few decisions which didn’t go our way — but we expect that down here to be honest so we’ve just got to get on with it,” he said.

“We seem to be losing our way in the middle phase of the innings, though in fairness Malachi’s lbw decision looked harsh and that’s what started it off.

“We also had a couple of their batsmen caught behind early on, including their top-scorer (Benjamin), so if we’d got them, we’d have had them under a lot more pressure.

“Overall though it’s not the end of the world. We rested both Jordan DeSilva today and Kieron Trott as we try to get everybody in the squad a few games in preparation for the Americas Championship in Canada. So it’s fair to say we didn’t have our strongest team out.”

Bermuda have a rest day today before taking on Trinidad’s Under-17 side tomorrow — the latter considered by many to be the strongest side in the tournament.