Bermuda 125 Canada 149-6

Saleem Mukuddem and Hasan Durham triggered a late afternoon Canadian batting collapse to keep Bermuda's ICC Intercontinental Cup hopes alive at Toronto Cricket Club yesterday.

But the pair's gallant efforts were not enough to prevent Bermuda from falling behind as Canada, at 149 for six when stumps were drawn, led by 24 runs with four wickets in hand heading into today's second day of the three-day match.

“At the end of day one they have a slight advantage on us,” Bermuda skipper Clay Smith conceded afterwards.

“But with two days to go there is still a lot of cricket to be played.

“We know that we have to come back and bowl them out as cheaply as possible so we can go out there and basically bat ourselves back into the match.”

Canada were comfortably cruising along in reply to Bermuda's 125 all out in 59.5 overs after tea when disaster struck in the form of Mukuddem and Durham.

Generating sideways movement off a heavily grassed pitch, Mukuddem picked up the three key wickets of former Sri Lankan Test star Pubudu Dassanayake (21), Zubin Surkari (one) and Don Maxwell (five) in rapid succession as the home team slumped from 29 without loss to 35 for four in five overs.

Durham was then introduced into the Island attack in the 28th over and the national team recall wasted little time removing Sunil Dhaniram (11) and Nicholas Ifill (one) in the space of 12 balls to completely erase any thoughts the Canadians might have had of piling up a big first day total.

Dwayne (Sluggo) Leverock, who made the initial breakthrough in the eighth over when Bhatti mistimed his pull shot to Kevin Hurdle fielding at long on, finished with one for 26 off 14 overs including five maidens. Mukuddem was three for 34 off eleven and Durham two for 23 off eight.

Canadian wicket keeper Ashish Bagai (72 not out) and George Codrington (19) were unbeaten at the close of an absorbing day of cricket which saw a total of 16 wickets fall on an even track, in cool and overcast and conditions.

Bagai, who survived a confident appeal for a catch behind early in his innings before reaching a well-played half century off 91 balls, was the driving force behind Canada's middle-order revival, adding 55 runs for the fifth-wicket along with Dhaniram - “Unfortunately that was a decision that went against us but I still think our guys bowled well”, Smith lamented.

Earlier in the day, Canadian left-arm medium pacer Bhatti mowed through Bermuda's batting order to return astonishing figures of eight for 40 off 17.5 overs, including four maidens.

“Their bowlers basically exploited us by picking up a few early wickets to put us on the back foot,” Smith continued.

“It was some very good bowling on their part and just one of those days where you had to at least see the opening bowlers off because they were very potent on this track.”

After Bermuda had lost the toss and were sent in to bat on a slightly dampened pitch, Bhatti exploited the conditions with deadly effect.

Armed with a venomous inswinger, Bhatti, working in tandem with Ugandan-born fast bowler Henry Osinde at the opposite end, kept Bermuda's early order bats either smelling the leather or playing down the wrong line.

It soon became evident Smith's men were faced with an uphill task when Chris Foggo got a thick edge slashing at a wide delivery and was caught by Surkari at third slip as early as the third over.

Foggo's dismissal sparked an early order collapse which saw Bermuda lose their first four wickets with only 13 runs on the board after ten overs.

But thanks to a timely 39-run fifth wicket stand in 21 overs between skipper Clay Smith and Janeiro Tucker, Bermuda were eventually spared the blushes of being dismissed for under three digits.

Both batsmen managed what few others could, defying a Bhatti-inspired Canadian attack, in particular a responsible skipper Smith, who displayed tremendous heart in hostile conditions to score a dogged 52 off122 balls in 141 minutes.

Showing no signs of a recent hamstring injury, Smith reached a deserved half-century with a monstrous six over the long on boundary off Bhatti two overs after Tucker had departed for a patient 25 off 62 balls in 85minutes.

It still wasn't enough to bring a smile to the skipper's face as he then dragged Bhatti's very next delivery onto his stumps after reaching his milestone.

“Janeiro and I both batted well. But at the end of the day I think we still let the team down by getting out in the manner we did,” Smith conceded.

Meanwhile, tailenders Leverock (12) and Hurdle (11), who grinded out a 27-run stand for the tenth -wicket, were the only other local batsmen in double figures.

In addition to Bhatti's superb analysis, Osinde and Codrington took one wicket each as Bermuda were skittled out at 3.17 p.m., leaving Canada to bat out 43 of the day's remaining 102 overs.

Canada crossed Bermuda's total shortly before play was halted at 6.45 p.m.