After taking the worst beating in World Cup history yesterday, one might have expected Bermuda’s players to be in tears.

They were... tears of joy.

Despite suffering a 257-run mauling from India at the Queen’s Park Oval here in Port of Spain, it was a performance that will long be remembered for the history-making heroics of a teenage Berkeley student as much as it will the huge margin of defeat.

Watched by a TV audience of millions, 17-year-old Malachi Jones broke onto the world stage in the most dramatic fashion imagineable.

With the very first ball he bowled he snatched a wicket, that of India’s stylish opener Robin Uthappa who could only look back in horror as Bermuda’s ‘big man’ Dwayne Leverock stooped low in the slips to complete the dismissal.

What followed were scenes of unadulterated joy, Jones racing around the field, arms spread-eagled, before being engulfed by ecstatic teammates.

The youngster, believed to be the first teenager ever to take a wicket on his first ball in a World Cup, had to wipe tears from his eyes before regaining sufficient composure to bowl his second.

Around the ground, the ‘Bermy’ Army erupted into song and dance.

Among them were young Malachi’s mother, Nicole Iris and grandmother Winnie Jones.

“I was up all last night and couldn’t sleep because all I wanted was to see Malachi do something special. But I never expected he would do anything like this,” his grandmother said. “I am so proud of Malachi and this has certainly made my vacation.”

“I am just so proud of him right now; this is just an overwhelming feeling. We had dinner last night and I told Malachi that God is watching over him and he is going to do well,” added his mother. “I am so proud if him and the team... this is absolutely unbelievable taking a wicket with his first ball in the World Cup.”

Meanwhile, Leverock’s mother, Allison, was no less emotional after watching her son execute the spectacular one handed grab at first slip. “I made so much noise and really didn’t know whether to cry or not,” she said. “But I’m very proud of Burls (Dwayne) today.”

Bermuda’s other hero yesterday was English county player David Hemp who carried his bat for an unbeaten 76, almost half of Bermuda’s total of 156.

But neither Jones nor Hemp, nor any others in the Bermuda team, could do much about the final result — a 257-run walloping after India’s blazing batsmen had thumped the highest score in World Cup history, 413. Bermuda now have just one World Cup match remaining — against Bangladesh on Sunday — before returning home next week.

In the meantime, more information is expected to be divulged today on the suspension of all-rounder Saleem Mukuddem who was shockingly left out of yesterday’s team. South African Mukuddem snared Bermuda’s first-ever World Cup wicket against Sri Lanka but according to Bermuda Cricket Board officials has failed to adhere to rules of his BCB contract. The Board refused to divulge any more information.

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