Heckling spectators in the stands might have inspired Bermuda’s hero Saleem Mukuddem to his best ever bowling performance in international cricket at the Gymkhana ground yesterday.

The South African medium pacer revealed after claiming superb figures of six for 50 in Kenya’s first innings that fans had been taunting him as he ran in to bowl against local hero Steve Tikolo, the African nation’s most productive batsman. “I was getting a lot of stick from these guys sitting in the stands,” said Mukuddem. “They were trying to make bets with me, saying that Tikolo was going to bat all day and get a hundred.

“I’m not a betting man, otherwise I would have taken them on. So when I got him out my celebration was more directed at them than anyone else. It gave me a terrific lift.

“They rely on him so much. It was a big, big wicket.” As for his overall performance, Mukuddem added: “It’s my best by a long shot, I’m delighted.

“You know we didn’t get a lot on the scoreboard in the first innings so it was important for us to get wickets early. That was my goal, to try and get three or four wickets.

“Just before I went onto the field yesterday the coach said he wanted five from me . . . well I got three yesterday. So I was very confident today, I felt up for it. Getting five, which I’ve never had before, was one of my main goals, but to get six . . . We said to ourselves we can’t let them get too far ahead. We stuck to our guns and took wickets at regular intervals and now we’re back in it.”

The wicket, said Mukuddem, hadn’t provided a great deal of assistance.

“I wasn’t getting much help. Once the ball got old, there was a little bit of movement and it was just enough.

“It was a matter of hitting the right spots, and I got the ball to come in a few times, and I think that threw them off.”