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Crucial match for Bermuda against US

Action from the ICC world Cricket league Division 3 match Bermuda vs. ItalyPhoto David Skinner

Bermuda skipper Stephen Outerbridge is confident the hosts can overcome Americas rivals United States in their final Pepsi ICC World Cricket League (WCL) Division 3 round robin match at the National Sports Centre today.The hosts will go into the crucial clash mindful that anything short of victory would dash their slim hopes of progressing to the next phase of 2015 ICC World Cup qualifiers (and promotion to WCL Division 2) while a defeat coupled with other results could even see Bermuda relegated to the WCL Division 4.Bermuda chalked up a second win against Italy in their previous outing and will certainly look to carry that momentum into today’s clash with USA who slumped to defeat against Uganda in their last match.“The last match is going to be a crucial match against the USA,” Outerbridge said. “I’m pretty sure everyone is up for a really good game against the USA after our rivalry in the Americas (Americas Division One T20).”Earlier this year Bermuda recorded their first win against USA in five years in a WCL Division 3 warm-up match at Central Broward Regional Park in Florida. Bermuda restricted USA to 284 for six and replied with 285 for eight with David Hemp leading the run chase with an aggressive knock of 103 from 114 deliveries that included 12 boundaries.“We beat USA the last time we were in the US so we have shown that we can beat them,” said veteran Bermuda all-rounder Lionel Cann. “ We are definitely good enough and every team is even on the day.”Cann, who thumped a blistering 113 from 48 deliveries against Italy, urged his Bermuda teammates to bring their ‘A’ game to the NSC for today’s crucial clash.“The guys have to step up to the plate,” he said. “I stepped up to the plate in the last match and hopefully I can do it again against USA or it may be somebody else’s turn.”A win against second-placed USA today would see fourth-placed Bermuda move level on points with their Americas rivals on six points. Third-placed Nepal can also finish with six points if they beat relegated Italy in their final round robin at match Lords.The most points fifth placed Oman can achieve is four if they can find a way to get past unbeaten Uganda, who have already qualified for next year’s 2015 ICC World Cup qualifying event in New Zealand, in their final round robin match at Somerset Cricket Club.With so much at stake for Bermuda, USA, Nepal and Oman in terms of promotion to the WCL Division 2 and relegation to WCL Division 4, run rate could play a big factor in determining which country goes up and which takes the dreaded plunge along with Italy who remain winless after four matches.“It boils down to run rate if we can definitely get a victory,” Bermuda skipper Outerbridge said.The eventual two top teams following today’s final round robin matches will play in tomorrow’s final at the NSC with the third and fourth placed play-off to be held at Lords and fifth- and sixth-placed play-off taking place at Somerset Cricket Club.The two finalists will gain promotion to the WCL Division 2 and advance to the next phase of 2015 ICC World Cup qualifiers.The third- and fourth-placed teams will remain in the WCL Division 3 while the fifth- and sixth-placed teams will be relegated to the WCL Division 4.