Bermuda's newest recruit, David Hemp, stroked a delightful century as Bermuda took command of their four-day Intercontinental Cup match against Holland on the third day at the L.C.DeVilliers Oval in Pretoria today.

After Bermuda had lost four wickets before lunch, Hemp (117 not out) and Saleem Mukuddem (46 not out) shared in a magnificent unbroken partnership of 143, by far the biggest of the current tour and the highest seventh-wicket stand in Intercontinental Cup history, as they thumped a dispirited Dutch attack to all corners of the ground.

By the tea break at 2.40 p.m. local time, Bermuda had moved onto 362 for six, having resumed after lunch at 245 for six.

Hemp's ton marked his biggest score since making his international debut earlier on the tour in the drawn Intercontinental Cup match against Kenya. His previous best had been 41 in a one-day game against Kenya.

Chasing Holland's first innings total of 378, Bermuda were just 17 runs away from claiming first innings points and thus denying the Dutch any chance of qualifying for next year's Intercontinental Cup final.

Holland require a maximum 20 points to keep their hopes alive.

While both of Bermuda's overnight batsmen, Stephen Outerbridge (80) and skipper Clay Smith (14), were sent back to the pavilion as well as Janeiro Tucker (10) and Dean Minors (12) before lunch, Hemp and Mukuddem soon steadied the ship, safely taking the score past the follow-on target of 229 as they crafted a crucial

partnership.

Outerbridge, who began the day on 61 - his highest score in four-day cricket - added 19 more runs before being bowled by Ryan ten Doeschate with the total on 154. Smith followed, having scored 14, trapped lbw by ten Doeschate - a decision he clearly didn't agree with.

Tucker was undone by the spin of Muhammad Kashif, caught by Peter Borren for 10, while Dean Minors also fell to an lbw decision off Daan van Bunge, after adding 12.

INTERCONTINENTAL CUP

BERMUDA v HOLLAND

Scoreboard at tea on the third day of the four-day Intercontinental Cup match between Bermuda and Holland at the L.C.DeVilliers Oval today:

Holland won the toss

HOLLAND

First innings

Bas Zuiderent b S.Mukuddem 1

Tom DeGrooth c K.Hurdle b S.Mukuddem 61

Ryan ten Doeschate c D.Minors b D.Leverock 138

Daan van Bunge c and b K.Hurdle 39

Alexei Kervezee lbw Leverock 16

Peter Borren c K.Tucker b Trott 6

Luuk van Troost c J.Tucker b D.Leverock 24

Billy Stelling c C.Smith b R.Trott 33

Jeroen Smits b R.Trott 24

Pieter Seelaar lbw K.Hurdle 1

Muhammad Kashif not out 13

Extras (8b, 12lb, 2w) 22

Total (all out, 129.1 overs) 378

Fall of wickets: 2-1, 191-2, 224-3, 255-4, 264-5, 285-6, 309-7, 351-8, 352-9

Bowling: K.Hurdle 29-10-88-2; S.Mukuddem 30-7-98-2; D.Leverock 47-12-119-3; R.Trott 18.1-1-47-3; D.Hemp 4-1-6-0; J.Tucker 1-1-0-0

BERMUDA

First innings (overnight 128-2)

Stephen Outerbridge b ten Doeschate 80

Kwame Tucker c ten Doeschate b P.Borren 33

Irving Romaine lbw ten Doeschate 10

Clay Smith lbw ten Doeschate 14

David Hemp not out 117

Janeiro Tucker c P.Borren b M.Kashif 10

Dean Minors lbw van Bunge 12

Saleem Mukuddem not out 46

Extras (7b, 15lb, 12nb, 6w) 40

Total (for six wickets, 117 overs) 362

Still to bat: Rodney Trott, Kevin Hurdle, Dwayne Leverock

Fall of wickets: 1-105, 123-2, 154-3, 181-4, 203-5, 219-6

Bowling: Ryan ten Doeschate 32-8-108-3; W.Stelling 11-3-39-0; M.Kashif 19-8-44-1; P.Borren 21-7-38-1; P.Seelaar 8-1-27-0; D.van Bunge 22-3-76-1; L.van Troost 4-0-8-0

Umpires: Zama Ndamane (S.Africa); K.Hurter (S.Africa)