in Antigua

Assistant national cricket coach Herbie Bascome has called upon senior team members to step up to the wicket in the aftermath of Thursday’s 24-run loss to Antigua at Antigua Recreation Ground in St.John’s.

On the eve of tomorrow’s historical match against Bangladesh at the same venue - Bermuda’s first official One-Day International against a Test team or full ICC member - Bascome took a mighty swipe at his squad’s experienced players whom he claims are repeatedly “letting the team down”.

After skittling their hosts out for a paltry 139, the bulk of Bermuda’s recognised or experienced bats misfired with only OJ Pitcher (38), Clay Smith (11), Kwame Tucker (17) and skipper Irving Romaine (15) offering resistance.

It was a performance Bermuda will have to quickly improve upon if they are to have any success against eighth-ranked Bangladesh tomorrow at the venue where Brian Lara set and reclaimed the world record for the highest individual score in Test cricket.

“How long are we going to weep and moan about our standard of cricket when our experienced players are consistently doing the same thing. Our experienced players should be able to make the adjustment, but for one reason or the other they aren’t,” Bascome lamented.

“Our experienced players must start coming through. Mental errors can be fixed, but I think our senior players are not carrying their experience with them on the field when it comes down to decision making.

“That’s the problem we have and it’s making the team suffer and seem as though we don’t have a clue about what we are doing. It is frustrating from a coach’s standpoint to see guys who have played for long periods go out there and consistently get out playing the same way and consistently making mental errors.”

Thursday saw three Bermuda bats fail to get off the mark and three run outs down the order hugely undermine the tourists’ reply to the home team’s total.

Another of the team’s shortcomings, Bascome pointed out, was their inability to execute the game plan in match day situations, such as was the case against Antigua.

“You look at 139 runs . . . if you were to assess the situation off-field I’m sure all of the players, in theory, would have got it right on how to go about winning the match,” he said.

“But for some reason we just can’t take it from paper to practical and establish the professional side of the game. And this is our problem.

“Of course we have talent, but talent is not the issue because we have to strike a balance in theory and practical and put it all together on the field.”

Bascome, however, heaped praise on the team’s bowlers who were largely responsible for restricting the big bats of Antigua. He also applauded his team’s performance in the field.

“I felt we bowled and fielded extremely well. The guys really showed that they want to go to the World Cup,” he added. “Delyone (Borden) bowled extremely well (three for 19) and Kevin (Hurdle) and Saleem (Mukuddem) gave us a good start while Janeiro (Tucker) also had a good spell (two for 16).”