Bermuda skipper Clay Smith remained upbeat after his team managed to restrict USA to 297 runs on the opening day of the Intercontinental Cup tournament.

Overall pleased by the day?s performance, Smith is confident his team can seize the initiative and offer a spirited reply to their northern rival?s formidable total when play resumes.

?I?m quite happy because we basically wanted to keep them under 300. We always felt that if we could restrict them to 300 and pick up from seven to ten wickets we would be satisfied.

?We were more or less looking at things from a tactical standpoint and trying to get as many wickets as possible while at the same time restrict them to under 300. And that?s what we achieved today.

?We managed to bat out the last overs without losing a wicket and so tomorrow the guys came come back recharged and re-focussed and look to bat and post a score in excess of 300 runs,? he explained.

Smith added: ?In the last 20 overs we looked at it as though it were a one-day game and Mukuddem (Saleem) bowled six really tidy overs and then Archer (Dennis) came on and picked up two or three wickets towards the end. So I think tactically we performed okay.?

The Bermuda skipper also had a brush with disaster after twisting his troubled left-knee fielding at mid-on late in the USA innings.

?I am having a lot of trouble with my knee but the only way it is going to get better is to rest it and as you know we still have another two-days to go,? he said. ?I intend to soldier on.?