side. Now injury and loss of form have brought relegation to the Surrey second team but, as Bermuda learned to their cost yesterday, he still has a few tricks up his sleeve.

The 27-year-old was the pick of the bowlers and succeeded where others had failed in stemming the flow of runs just as Bermuda's batsmen looked to be in the driving seat.

He ended the opening partnership at 69 when he trapped Clay Smith lbw for 29 and he returned after lunch to claim the key wickets of Jeff Richardson and Anthony (Pacer) Edwards.

Bermuda's total of 230 for seven signalled the return to form for the batsmen but was never going to be enough on a ground at Guildford where, according to Surrey coach Graham Clinton, sides have made 290 and lost.

However the tourists are quick to point out that this trip is part of a learning process, and there was plenty of evidence yesterday that the hard lessons of the last week are being heeded.

The batting was solid and only collapsed when the big hitters were promoted in recognition of the need for quick runs.

After Smith's departure Ricky Hill and Charlie Marshall worried Surrey with a sparkling partnership, which would have kept the scoreboard moving at a run a minute but for the reluctance of the scorers themselves to give more than occasional updates.

It cannot have helped the batsmen that on several occasions the overs figure was short of the actual amount. Spectators who wanted to know individual scores never had a chance but at least it was simple enough to keep track of the wickets.

The second did not fall until Bermuda had made 181 in a style, which was frequently thrilling.

Marshall was again in fine form with 54 but it remains to be seen whether his luck will hold after the highlight of his innings -- a six that delighted the crowd but disturbed a black cat napping next to the fence.

Hill, as ever, was not content merely to hit beyond the boundary. A couple of his huge blows illustrated the hazards of living next to a cricket ground.

At their most productive the pair added 44 in just three overs after lunch before Marshall was bowled by Anthony Murphy.

Hill looked a good bet for a century but put the side's need for quick runs ahead of personal glory and was third out, holing out to Danny Kelleher off Murphy having made 91.

Jeff Richardson was looking to build on his 51 against Minor Counties but he too became a victim of the need to speed things up when he played round a ball from Medlycott and fell lbw.

Edwards smashed two successive fours off Murphy but soon went the same way as Richardson and for a spell wickets came as quickly as runs.

So while the total of 230 was encouraging Darrin Lewis, captain in the absence of the rested Wendell Smith, had no option but to try to bowl out the home side. The possibility could not be dismissed lightly as Edwards and Kenny Phillips found plenty of life in the wicket.

Surrey looked like making short work of the target but with the total on 26 in the sixth over they lost Alistair Brown who drove Phillips to mid-on and was taken superbly by the diving Smith. Neil Sargeant gave the tourists more hope when he dragged Edwards onto his leg stump and his replacement Andy Smith had a lucky escape when a delivery from the same bowler nipped back to take middle and off just as the umpire called no-ball.

Smith's partner David Ward was a victim of cruel luck when, having dominated a partnership of 165 he edged Phillips to Minors and was out on 98.

Like Hill earlier Ward missed out on a personal milestone when most of the hard work had been done. But unlike Hill he had the satisfaction of knowing that his innings paved the way to a comfortable Surrey win.

Of Bermuda, Medlycott said: "They have some very good players who played some very good shots but they didn't get enough runs because they didn't take the ones and twos.'' Bermuda team manager McDonald Swan added: "We just didn't get as many runs as we would have liked. I wanted 150 by lunch but we only made 132 and that left us with a lot of hard work later on. From there we had to try and bowl them out because there was no point in trying to keep the runs down.'' RICKY HILL -- Glorious innings of 91.