Hosts Canada continued to pile on the runs on day three of their ICC Intercontinental Cup match with Bermuda at King City, Toronto yesterday to place themselves firmly in the driver?s seat entering today?s fourth and final day of play.

Resuming from their overnight total of 386 for seven, the Canadians batted through yesterday?s entire morning session before finally being dismissed shortly after 2 p.m. for a colossal 588 in 135.4 overs ? 254 runs ahead of Bermuda?s first innings total.

Left arm fast bowler Umar Bhatti then gave the Canadians the quick breakthrough they were looking for when he had Delyone Borden (19) caught behind for the second time in the match in the ninth over before rains forced the umpires to abandon play for the remainder of the day.

Bermuda were 67 for one when rain and fog sent the players running for shelter at 3.45 p.m. with a confident Stephen Outerbridge (31) and skipper Irving Romaine (six) unbeaten at the crease.

Earlier, Bhatti, a former Canada Under 19 skipper, shared in a 149-run eighth-wicket partnership in 33 overs with 2003 World Cup veteran Abdool Samad (119) that thwarted Bermuda?s hopes of dismissing their hosts in the first session.

Together the pair consolidated the innings and batted sensibly, with Samad the more aggressive of the two batsmen and Bhatti intent to offer support in yet another partnership that prolonged Bermuda?s misery in the field in densely overcast conditions.

Samad raced to a half century off 47 balls in 68 minutes as the Canadians rode their luck after surviving a run out attempt and two spilled catches behind to be poised at 531 for seven at lunch.

Bhatti achieved the milestone ? his maiden ICC Intercontinental Cup half century ? shortly after play resumed, but was bowled attempting to sweep Leverock down the leg-side on the third ball of the third over of the afternoon session. He faced 105 balls in 125 minutes and hit six fours and a six.

Samad then scored the third Canadian century of the innings off 112 balls in the 111th over during a 31-run ninth-wicket stand with Henry Osinde (18 not out) before a Kevin Hurdle delivery found the edge of his bat, and was comfortably gathered behind by wicketkeeper Dean Minors.

Samad smashed 18 fours off 128 balls in 161 minutes.

Canada lost their last three wickets for 53 runs in the space of ten overs as the relentless Leverock was finally rewarded for his perseverance with the ball.

The larger than life leg spinner claimed two for 136 off a marathon 48.4 overs, including eight maidens.

The fast-improving Ryan Steede failed in a personal bid for a first five-wicket haul, but still led the Bermuda bowling with figures of four for 127 off 24 overs with two maidens.

Hurdle also impressed with two for 97 off 20 overs with two maidens.

Bermuda began their second innings trailing the Canadians by 254 runs under a dark cloud of uncertainty as late afternoon rains threatened.

The tourists survived a few confident appeals and were pegged back when Borden was beaten by a Bhatti delivery that moved off the seam.

However, resolute batting on the part of Outerbridge and Romaine stabilised the innings until rains forced a premature end to the day?s play.

Today?s play, according to the umpires, will start a half-an-hour earlier at 10 a.m. with Bermuda still 188 runs shy of avoiding an innings defeat.