Outclassed in two consecutive matches by a Zimbabwe side devoid of their best players, a philosophical Bermuda coach Gus Logie admitted on Saturday that they have a long way to go before they can compete with the top international sides.

While qualifying for the World Cup was an incredible achievement, the Trinidadian said, with such a limited pool of players to choose from the more immediate and realistic goal should be to become the best Associate side in the world and not dwell too harshly on comprehensive drubbings from professional sides.

?There were weaknesses in our game which were exposed against Zimbabwe but that was to be expected,? he said.

?I would love for us to be able to compete with these sides, but the reality is that we can only work with what we?ve got and the fact that we have now beaten Canada twice over the course of the last 12 months is reason enough to be pleased.

?Zimbabwe?s superior experience and skill were there for all to see over the two games and we were deservedly beaten, though I cannot fault the effort and commitment of the guys.?

Assessing Bermuda?s performance in the final, Logie was impressed with the way in which they restricted Zimbabwe to 259 having lost the toss, particularly given the decision to play an extra batsman in light of the ongoing difficulties at the top of the order.

He was unhappy, however, with the way in which both Saleem Mukuddem and Irving Romaine were becalmed in the middle phase of the reply ? something which undermined the team?s efforts to make a contest of the match.

?I thought to keep them down to the score they got was a very good effort,? he said.

?It looked at one stage like they might get 300 again, but we pulled it back well and gave our batsmen something realistic to go for.

?We weren?t helped by the fact that Kwame Tucker had strained his groin, which meant we had to send out the two youngsters in Azeem Pitcher and Treadwell Gibbons and when they got out quickly, we were under pressure again.

?But Saleem and Irving then got well and truly stuck, which was where it all started to unravel. Irving?s innings surprised me really because he is such a strong striker of the ball but he just wasn?t able to get going and we went on the attack far too late.

?It?s the same old problem. When I start talking about upping the tempo, the guys still think only in terms of sixes and fours rather than running hard between the wickets to keep things ticking over.

?The top order have had a really tough time of it on this tour. Most of the guys have had plenty of opportunities, but through a lack of form and confidence some of them have just not delivered.

?This is going to have to change because we cannot keep picking an extra batsman against good teams because we are consistently asking too much of somebody to fill in as a fifth bowler and it is time some of the top order started taking on more responsibility.?

Focusing on the highlights of the tour, Logie pointed to the heroic contributions of both Dean Minors and Lionel Cann during Bermuda?s nailbiting win over Canada last Wednesday, as well as the emergence of George O?Brien as a genuine new ball threat.

?George has been very impressive on this tour,? Logie said. ?He has bowled well in all three of the games he played while he has shown a very good pair of hands in the field as well.

?I?ve been talking to him quite a bit and he realises now that he must continue to work on his fitness so he can come back in later spells and bowl just as well as he did in his first.

?But this was his first tour with the national team and if he carries on working hard and developing, I can see him becoming a permanent fixture.?