Bermuda's veteran trio of Clay Smith, Janeiro Tucker and Dean Minors steered Bermuda to respectability today as they brought the Island back from 22-3 to 209-5 in their second innings against Canada.

At the close of play, Tucker was on 65 in a sixth wicket partnership of 93 runs with wicketkeeper Minors, who reached his half-ton as play was ending in the ICC Intercontintental Cup match.

Bermuda have a 127 run lead over Canada with five wickets in hand and one day to play at the Toronto Cricket Club.

Tucker also engineered a 55-run fifth wicket partnership with captain Smith before he departed for 45 after being LBW to Sunil Dhaniran.

Earlier, Bermuda's prospects of even surviving an innings defeat at were gloomy.

Needing 82 runs to pass Canada's first innings score of 207-10, openers Graham Strange and Chris Foggo were both back in the pavilion with just ten runs on the board.

Strange, who scored two in the first innings, was caught for a duck by George Codrington off the bowling of Henry Osinde while Foggo was out for ten off Umar Bhatti, who collected his ninth wicket of the match.

Saleem Mukkudem and Irving Romaine managed to take the score to 22 before Irving Romaine was caught by Don Maxwell off Osinde for 12.

Mukkudem and Smith then battled to 61 when Mukkudem was bowled by Kevin Sandher.

Earlier, Bermuda bowled Canada out for 207. Ashish Bagai was bowled out for 76 by spinner Dwayne Leverock, who also collected the wickets of Qasir Ali (6), and Kevin Sandher (10) to give him four wickets from the first innings.

Saleem Mukkudem also took four wickets for the inning, dismissing George Codrington LBW for 31.

Hasan Durham took the other two wickets on Tuesday. Leverock was arguably the pick of the bowlers and the workhorse of the side, twirling 22.1 overs for 46 runs four wickets and seven maidens.

..76 Ashish Bagai b Dwayne Leverock

..31 George Codrington LBW Saleem Mukuddem

..06 Qasir Ali c Saleem Mukuddem b Dwayne Leverock

..10 Kevin Sandher c & b Dwayne Leverock

..16 Henry Osinde Not Out

..18 Extras

207 Total for 10 Wickets

FOW - 7-161, 8-179, 9-183, 10-207

Bermuda

Kevin Hurdle..............9-1-48-0

Saleem Mukuddem..16-3-52-4

Dwayne Leverock.22.1-7-46-4

Jacobi Robinson........3-0-17-0

Hassan Durham.......10-1-31-2

Bermuda

(82 runs behind)

..10 Chris Foggo b Umar Bhatti

..00 Graham Strange c George Codrington b Henry Osinde

..21 Saleem Mukuddem b Kevin Sandher

..12 Irving Romaine c Don Maxwell b Henry Osinde

..45 Clay Smith LBW Sunil Dhaniran

..65 Janeiro Tucker Not Out

..50 Dean Minors Not Out

..06 Extras

209 Total for 5 Wickets

FOW - 1-2, 2-10, 3-22, 4-61, 5-116