Tenpin bowlers Antoine Jones and Conrad Lister pulled off a monumental sporting upset when they came from nowhere to snatch the silver medal in yesterday's men's doubles.

It was only Bermuda's third ever medal won at a Commonwealth Games and the Island's first silver.

High jumper Nicky Saunders won gold at Auckland in 1990 and triple jumper Brian Wellman the bronze at Victoria four years ago.

In an event televised live throughout Malaysia, Australia and much of the Far East where bowling is one of the most popular sports, 37-year-old Lister and 36-year-old Jones had been given no chance of contending for honours.

Apart from their female team-mates Dianne (Bobbie) Ingham and June Pitt, who had earlier finished seventh in the women's competition, and coach June Dill, none of the Bermuda delegation were on hand to witness their historic triumph at the Pyramid Lanes on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur. Most, including chef de mission Jay Kempe, Bermuda Olympic Association president Austin Woods and BOA secretary general Hoskins were instead watching the Island's gymnasts some 20 miles away.

But yesterday's success sparked wild celebrations at the Bermuda camp in the Games Village where the Island's delegation of 25 athletes and ten officals are housed.

Australian TV commentators, who watched in amazement as the Bermuda pair put on a stunning display of bowling to leapfrog over the more fancied Aussies, South Africa and England in the final two games, described their performance as "unprecedented for a small nation.'' Led by 220-lb Jones, continually referred to by TV announcers as "the big man'', Bermuda finished only behind Malaysia, whose victory also prompted a huge celebration as the host nation claimed their first gold of these Games.

Favourites Australia had to settle for the bronze in a field of 15 countries, all of them bigger and most more populous than Bermuda.

As pressure mounted in the final game, Lister admitted: "I was feeling jittery, but my coach told me to take a couple of deep breaths and hang in there, and fortunately I did.'' Despite being written off by others, Jones said he always felt they were in with a chance. "We've been saying all along that we can compete with the best, and we've finally come through. We bowled well today, but I still think we can improve.'' Having shocked their rivals, Lister and Jones will now be seen as possible medallists in Wednesday's singles event and they get another chance to shine today when Lister teams up with Pitt and Jones with Ingham for the mixed doubles.