Bermuda’s cricketers will be playing for their World Cup lives when they step out at Willowmoore Park this morning desperate to salvage what’s left of their reputation following a series of one-day international batterings on this five-week African tour.

Today’s finale against Holland is the last of the ICC Tri-Series games of which Bermuda have already lost three, adding to the misery inflicted by Kenya who completed a 3-0 whitewash over the visitors early in November.

It’s a record which doesn’t sit well with coach Gus Logie, who warned after Thursday’s debacle — a three-wicket defeat to Canada — that “heads could roll” when the squad return to Bermuda next week.

While some players — most notably all-rounder Saleem Mukuddem, wicketkeeper-batsman Dean Minors, spinner Dwayne Leverock and early order bat David Hemp — have likely done enough to cement their places in the team which will travel to the Caribbean next March, several others will be looking over their shoulders.

Labelling his players the “slowest in the competition” and bemoaning his batsmen’s repeated failure to put up a fight once trapped in difficult situations, Logie warned: “We’ll have to look at other players . . .

“If this is what we have after so much work has been put in, so much preparation . . . if this is all we have to show for it, well it’s very difficult.”

Changes are almost certain to be made today against a Dutch side who cantered to an eight-wicket victory in the teams’ first Tri-Series clash in Potchefstroom on Tuesday.

Early order bat Stephen Outerbridge, dropped for the last two games, and young spinner Rodney Trott, who’s missed all three games this week, could be given another chance to prove their worth, while paceman Ryan Steede, who’s managed to come on as a substitute fielder but hasn’t started a match since straining his back in the four-day game against Holland in Pretoria, will also be hoping he can be passed fit to play.If not, Bermuda will again likely have to rely on the strike partnership of Kevin Hurdle and Stefan Kelly, neither of whom have so far shown the control and consistency required at this level.

In every match of the Tri-Series, Bermuda have either chosen or been sent in to bat first, and on this, the last game of the tour, their batsmen might relish a chance to chase a target rather than set one.

But whatever the scenario, they’ll need to improve their shot selection if the final outcome of today’s game is to be any different.

Following today’s game, Bermuda have a rest today tomorrow, leave Johannesburg for London on Monday and return home on Tuesday.