Bermuda must neutralise South Africa's big-hitting batsman if they are to stand any chance of winning today's highly-anticipated 20-20 World Cricket Classic final, skipper Irving Romaine said yesterday.

The Proteas, led by former Test opener Gary Kirsten, have racked up an intimidating 469 runs in their two matches so far against their southern hemisphere rivals Australia and New Zealand, with the burly Steven Jack and Kirsten himself - who scored a whirlwind 134 off only 64 balls against the Kiwis, including 16 fours and seven sixes - the clear standouts.

By comparison, Bermuda have put together a two-game total of 317 runs, leaving Romaine in no doubt whatsoever that the challenge of keeping the South Africans in check at the National Sports Centre will be a huge one.

Their chances would certainly not be helped by the absence of explosive allrounder Lionel Cann, who strained a groin on the slippery artificial surface when the dew descended on Wednesday evening.

Team physio Craig Brown treated Cann yesterday afternoon and will put him through a last-minute fitness test to determine whether he is able to play.

"I was there on Thursday night for South Africa's game against New Zealand and they have an incredible amount of batting," Romaine said.

"Kirsten and Jack are obviously the two main guys, but even down the order they've got plenty of people who can come in and hit boundaries almost straight away.

"Like us, they have not had to chase a total yet, so if we bat first we'll have to look to score something in the region of 200 plus in order to be competitive and put them under some pressure."

On such a true artificial surface where batsman can hit through the line with ease, comfortable in the knowledge that the pace and the bounce will not vary, good length deliveries which might be treated with the utmost respect in longer forms of the game have been regularly disappearing into the stands this week.

And Romaine agreed that the key to keeping the big hitters quiet was to bowl as consistently full as possible.

"You cannot afford to bowl length deliveries in this sort of cricket," Romaine said.

"The plan will have to be to set the fields as straight as possible and to try and force them to hit down the ground where the protection is. If we give these guys any width or we drop a little short, they're going to hammer us."

The fact that the final is probably going to be the last time this year that the national team will get to play in a major event on local soil is not lost on Romaine either, and he encouraged the public to come out in large numbers to support the cause.

"It's been a real pleasure playing in front of our own supporters," he said.

"The support we have been getting so far has been absolutely terrific and it makes playing in this tournament so much more enjoyable. All of us are hoping that the turnout is even better for the final because it might be the last time we play at home before the World Cup."

What has been very noticeable this week is the professional way in which Bermuda have prepared for each game, with every player warming up, getting in the nets and doing fielding practice about two hours before matches without having to be barked at by coach Gus Logie.

And Romaine admitted that the squad have really gelled in the past few months, adding that everybody is comfortable working under the regime imposed.

"We all get on incredibly well both on and off the field, which helps," he said.

"And we've been playing and travelling together for quite a while now so we're all familiar with the routine in terms of preparation and nobody has to tell us what to do. We work hard and put in the work that Gus demands of us."

Meanwhile, South African left arm seamer Hugh Page said they would not be underestimating Bermuda, having watched them last Sunday put the West Indies' bowlers to the sword.

Page, who took 275 first class wickets in a career spanning 14 years, was also complimentary about the tournament as a hole and predicted that all teams would be stronger if the event continues next year.

"We had a look at what Bermuda can do against the West Indies and we know this game is going to be very competitive," he said.

"Their batsman play very much in the Caribbean style and it will be a challenge bowling to them no question. Gus Logie has obviously done a superb job with them because they are very organised and seem to know what they are about.

"On our part, we've really enjoyed the competition so far and though we no longer play professionally, we all have that competitive instinct when we are on the field.

"I wouldn't want to say that we expect to win, but if we all go out there and play to our potential I think we're a very difficult team to beat.

"But the whole event though has been run superbly and I'm certain that some of the teams that maybe have not done as well as they would have liked will make greater efforts next year to bring the strongest team available so that they can be more competitive."

The final gets underway at 5.30 p.m. at the NSC and is preceded by the plate final between Australia and the West Indies which starts three hours earlier.