Bermuda got a taste of what first-class Red Stripe opposition is about after a nine wicket defeat to Jamaica at Sabina Park yesterday.

Afer losing their first two wickets for only four runs by the second over, Bermuda were always fighting an uphill battle.

And it looked perilous when Charlie Marshall, who hit Bermuda's first boundary, was struck in the head and taken to hospital for precautionary X-rays.

His return when the ninth wicket had fallen was one of the few bright spots, with Arnold Manders' well-played 52 and stoic 28 from Noel Gibbons propping up the middle order until a fateful collapse. Marshall was last out for 30.

Jamaica's acting captain Delroy Morgan scored a commanding 85 not out and Richard Staple made 53 not out in a match-winning, 142-run second-wicket partnership.

It is quite clear that Bermuda's failure came from not making a competitive enough total. But after the poor start there was hope for something in excess of 200 before medium-pacer Laurie Williams engineered a collapse of significant proportion.

Bermuda fell from 135 for three with 10 overs left and were all out with eight balls of the 50 overs remaining, as five wickets fell in 15 minutes.

Williams, wicketless in his first five overs, produced a five-for-14 burst that made his final figures of five-for-42 from 9.4 overs look promising indeed.

But the wicket that did not go to the bowler was probably the most decisive because it meant the end of Manders' 102-minute stay.

Gibbons played a shot in the backward point region and set off for a single.

Staple then undid Manders with one-hand pick-up and direct hit at the batsmen's end.

Manders, who survived a difficult chance on three, had faced 78 balls and hit three sixes and four fours. The first six was also his only life as fine-leg fielder Nehemiah Perry could only carry the ball over the boundary when Manders hooked against fast bowler Anthony Andrews.

The combination of Manders, Marshall and Gibbons rescued Bermuda from 39 for three after openers Wendell Smith (two balls) and Allen Richardson were dismissed without scoring and skipper Albert Steede was bowled for eight after 56 minutes at the wickets.

Marshall took on the Jamaican bowling whenever possible with a series of pull and cut shots, winning the admiration of the crowd. But it was his bravado that short-circuited his innings as he was struck in the head while attempting to hook Andrews when on 14.

The helmet-less left-hander, after four minutes on the ground, added nine runs to his total before deciding to come off to seek further treatment.

That brought together Manders and Gibbons and the two batted sensibly in a 86-run stand that lasted 96 minutes.

Manders brought up his half-century with a glorious pull through mid-wicket off Williams after earlier serving notice with two monstrous clouts against off-spinner Perry.

But just when he and Gibbons were about to hit overdrive, Staple's brilliant piece of fielding turned the match.

Williams then captured his first wicket on the next ball by trapping Clevie Wade for nought and Gibbons was caught at mid-on off the fifth ball of the next over, attempting to force occasional spinner Morgan away.

The fall from 125 for three to 125 for six surely changed the complexion of the Bermuda innings and by now there was little wicket-keeper Dean Minors (10) and the specialist bowlers could do to improve things.

Williams comprehensively bowled both Anthong Edwards and Terry Burgess without scoring, then last-man Bruce Perinchief, three not out, held out long enough for Marshall to make a well-received return.

Marshall's 63-minute innings contained four fours.

After lunch, Morgan and Staple insured that the early dismissal of Robert Samuels, trapped lbw by Burgess for four, would serve as mere flattery.

Neither gave a chance and looked in complete control of the situation with Perinchief and Gibbons the pick of the Bermuda bowlers.

Morgan raced away after reaching his 50 in 96 minutes and the chief victim was Gibbons who went for 20 runs in his final two overs when the Jamaican skipper smashed four of his nine fours.

Staple was resolute throughout, only opening the blade when the bowler strayed. He finished with four fours.

Bermuda tackle Jamaica again today at Kaiser Park in Discovery Bay, some three hours outside of Kingston and it promises to get no easier as West Indies Test stars Courtney Walsh and Jimmy Adams are expected to see action.

CHARLIE MARSHALL -- The Bermuda player gave everyone a scare after he was struck in the head by a ball and later taken to hospital as a precautionary measure.