Scotland 240-7

(Scotland won the toss and elected to bat)

International cricket returned to the National Sports Centre after a four-year hiatus yesterday, and while many things have changed in that time, one thing has remained constant – Dwayne Leverock.

The man known throughout the cricketing world is often taken for a figure of fun, and yet this morning Scotland, for one, will not be laughing.

Yesterday they had the heart torn out of their batting by Leverock, and a Bermuda team that began the day in control and never really let go.

There were few bright points for Scotland, Fraser Watts' excellent innings of 93 aside, and they will have plenty to do today if they are to give themselves a decent total to defend.

That is not to say that Bermuda won't have a few concerns of their own.

Despite his heroics, Leverock didn't bowl particularly well, and Gus Logie's side will have to bat last on a wicket that was turning prodigiously before lunch on the first morning.

It is a pitch that could do any number of things over the next three days, What is unlikely, however, is that it will offer much comfort to the quicker bowlers.

After an hour of fruitless toil from opening bowlers George O'Brien and Stefan Kelly yesterday morning, it became apparent why Logie had opted to leave out Ryan Steede and take the occasional medium-pace and extra batting ability of OJ Pitcher instead.

Kelly and O'Brien put everything into that first hour, and while a couple of deliveries bounced a little higher, by and large they didn't cause Watts and opening partner Dougie Lockhart many problems.

Leverock was the only one who seemed to get some joy out of the pitch, and even then some atrocious Scottish batting helped him.

Only Lockhart was blameless in that respect. He became Leverock's first victim, nicking a ball that lifted sharply to Jekon Edness, the wicketkeeper.

At 42 for one Scotland were nicely poised and with Bermuda's bowlers struggling to maintain a consistent line and length, Watts and Qasim Sheikh looked like they might guide their side out of trouble.

Not even Leverock was immune, all too frequently dropping the ball short of a length. Several times Chris Foggo and James Celestine, the close fielders, had to take evasive action, and Celestine was eventually hit just below the helmet when Leverock sent down one short ball too many.

Despite that he should have also picked up the wicket of Qasim Sheikh moments before lunch, but Foggo, fielding at short leg, ducked too soon in anticipation of a hook shot and missed an easy bat, pad catch.

While Watts was slwoly grinding away, his side were busy contributing to their own downfall in anyway possible.

Qasim Sheikh chased a fullish ball outside off stump and was caught behind. Richie Berrington was stumped trying to charge Rodney Trott, and when Colin Smith tamely prodded the ball back to Leverock for the simplest of caught and bowled dismissals, Scotland were struggling on 141 for four.

Watts and Neil McCallum briefly looked like they might rally the innings, but just seven runs short of a well-deserved ton, Watts mistimed a sweep and was caught at deep mid-wicket by Steven Outerbridge.

McCallum followed moments later, again trying a sweep, he was bowled around his legs by Leverock, and at 208 for six, Scotland were in real trouble.

If McCallum's dismissal was enough to earn a hard stare from his coach, Sean Weeraratna's was even worse. He skied a catch to Oronde Bascome on the square leg boundary from a Trott ball that he should have left well alone.

Trott was unlucky not to have several more wickets to his name, but a rather jumpy Foggo missed two half chances at short leg to dismiss both Watts and Smith before they were eventually out.

Majid Haq and Gordon Goudie guided Scotland safely to the close of play, but at 240 for seven, they are still some way short of what they might consider to be a reasonable total.

The first session before lunch today will be crucial for both sides.

If Bermuda can polish Scotland off for anything less than 270, they will feel that they have a great chance of winning the game.

For Scotland the key will be to make some quick runs, but given the painfully slow nature of their progress yesterday, when it took them until the 43rd over to reach a hundred, that is highly unlikely.

INTERCONTINENTAL CUP

Bermuda v Scotland

(Scotland won the toss)

Scotland first innings

F.Watts c S.Outerbridge b D.Leverock 93

D.Lockhart c wkt J.Edness b D.Leverock 22

Q.Sheikh c wkt J.Edness b G.O'Brien 13

R.Berrington st J.Edness b R.Trott 11

C.Smith c&b D.Leverock 17

N.McCallum b D.Leverock 25

M.Haq not out 44

S.Weeraratna c O.Bascome b R.Trott 7

G.Goudie not out 1

Extras (1lb, 2b, 4nb) 7

Total (96 overs) 240

Fall of wickets: 1-42, 2-66, 3-114, 4-141, 5-182, 6-208, 7-237

Still to bat: D.Nel, R.Lyons

Bowling: G.O'Brien 16.3-6-35-1, S.Kelly 15-4-32-0, D.Leverock 37-7-100-4, OJ Pitcher 3-1-6-0, R.Trott 19-4-54-2, I.Romaine 0.3-0-1-0, S.Outerbridge 5-2-9-0.

Bermuda: I.Romaine, O.Bascome, J.Celestein, J.Edness, C.Foggo, S.Kelly, D.Leverock, G.O'Brien, S.Outerbridge, OJ Pitcher, R.Trott.

Umpires: Shahul Hameed, Roger Dill (Bermuda)

Third umpire: Steven Douglas (Bermuda)

Match referee: Barry Richards