With three wins out of three, Bermuda moved into this weekend?s crucial games against Canada and the USA with a renewed sense of optimism, confident that with home soil advantage and a partisan crowd, they could establish themselves, after years of depressing mediocrity, as the dominant force in the region.

But success against a trio of cricketing lightweights during the week proved a painful false dawn for the hundreds who flocked to the National Sports Centre, with the welcome feel-good factor quickly diluted by the narrow defeat against Canada on Saturday and a horribly careless, tired-looking display against the USA yesterday.

For all their undoubted promise and captain Clay Smith?s claims on Friday that his team were going from ?strength to strength? as a unit, Bermuda were found wanting ? outplayed by two sides which were clearly better prepared, more professional and who, during crucial phases on both days, demonstrated far more cricketing savvy than their often muddled hosts.

The decision by Bermuda Cricket Board to confine the national team to only two warm-up games against a half-baked, over-the-hill Lloyd?s touring side made up of professional insurance brokers now has to be seriously questioned.

The lack of match practice and established, well thought through game-plans with both bat and ball, were clearly evident throughout the two days and ultimately proved costly while flaws which often go unpunished in domestic cricket were ruthlessly exposed.

Particularly against the US yesterday, but also to some extent against the Canadians the day before, many of Bermuda?s batsmen sold their wickets far too cheaply, shunning a more patient, cumulative approach in the middle phase of the innings in favour of ugly, cross bat scythes.

Though unarguably one of Bermuda?s most talented and exciting batsman for many years, the undignified slog which resulted in Charlie Marshall?s dismissal with Bermuda 114 for four in the 37th over yesterday, was indicative of the generally impatient and naive approach of Bermuda?s batsmen on difficult wickets which demanded the utmost caution and application.

The one notable exception however, was Saleem Mukuddem?s beautifully crafted innings of 62 not out against Canada out of Bermuda?s first innings total of 194 for nine.

Running hard between the wickets, keeping the ball on the ground and exploiting the wide open spaces of the National Sports Centre with a regular rotation of the strike, the South African gave an almost flawless exhibition of how to bat in 50 over cricket ? a lesson which too few of his team-mates seemed prepared to follow.

The fact that he was stuck at the non-striker?s end for all but one ball in the final over as talilender Kevin Hurdle wildly swished ? and missed ? three times, was criminal in the circumstances and arguably cost Bermuda victory in a game which went down to the final over.

There are clearly shortcomings in the team make-up as well.

Besides the worrying lack of a high quality seamer capable of penetrating the defences of international batsmen with the new ball, Bermuda continue to face a dilemma over the choice wicketkeeper.

Though Jekon Edness? glovework has come on leaps and bounds since his return from the cricket academy in South Africa over the winter, it is difficult to think of any other international side which currently employs a wicketkeeper who cannot hold his own with the bat in the top seven.

There are many who believe, this writer included, that his batting will blossom given more opportunity to bat for both club and country.

But the selectors, whether they persevere with Glenn Blakeney behind the stumps as they did against the US or coax the likes of Dean Minors, Kwame Tucker or Jason Anderson out of the international wilderness, will have to move to correct this, as the balance of the side is clearly disrupted by his present inclusion.

Despite many reservations however, the Island?s third placed finish in the Americas Championship and by right a place at the ICC Trophy next year, does offer some solace.

Everybody in Bermuda?s cricketing fraternity will be hoping that the selectors will put their heads together to address a number of very obvious shortcomings and that the Board put together an comprehensive preparation programme in the run-up to next year.

The very creditable showings of Bermuda?s two young guns, OJ Pitcher and Delyone Borden, were also very heartening to see.

But if we are going to go to the trouble of attempting World Cup qualification, we must leave no stone unturned and no expense spared? something which has clearly not happened up to now. Let us hope that those who shoulder the responsibility will deliver next time round.