South African all-rounder Saleem Mukudem fell victim to a volunteer umpire on Sunday as his debut innings for Western Stars ended with a dubious run out at Wellington Oval.

Otherwise all went well for the 28-year-old audit manager who got his first taste of Bermuda cricket as Stars beat St. George's by 77 runs.

"I think it was close and I felt I was in and he initially said `not out','' said Mukudem of the run out which ended his innings at 26. "You have to give the benefit of the doubt to the batsman.

"As I was walking off someone in the crowd, shouted `welcome to Bermuda'. The umpire was caught with his back towards me and he gave me out.

"If it happens at Test match level it can happen at league level. It's part of the game.'' That experience apart, Mukudem enjoyed his first outing for Stars and is looking forward to two productive seasons with his new club before he returns to South Africa at the end of a two-year contract.

But first he admits he will have to adjust to the slower wickets in Bermuda, having been brought up on the faster and more bouncy tracks in Cape Town where he played for Primrose Cricket Club.

That same club also had Nasser Hussain of England and a West Indies under-17 player, Adrian Murphy (not Test player Adrian Griffith as previously reported) playing for them.

"We had five senior teams playing every week and 12 junior teams, with a membership of about 70 senior players and 150 juniors,'' said Mukudem of his Western Province club.

He played in the Premier League, one level below provincial cricket.

"But I took my studies more seriously, I never played or set any ambition or goal to play at a higher level,'' Mukudem stated.

Over the years several talented foreign cricketers have come to Bermuda, mostly from the Caribbean, with the occasional English, Indian or Sri Lankan.

But there have been few from South Africa.

Mukudem says he hasn't set any goals for the season, but wants to enjoy his cricket this summer, which is why he put a lot of thought into the club he evcentually joined.

By all indications he is fitting in well at Western Stars, with the fans quickly taking to him.

"That was important, I was just asking around at work,'' he said as he explained how a colleague directed him to Stars captain Albert Steede.

"I didn't need a club with that much politics,'' he added. "They invited me down to practice one Sunday. I don't know if they tried to intimidate me, with their approach to training, but it's very similiar to back home.

"Over the last three weeks things have picked up and practice is very good.

I'm in close contact with Albert, he being my first point of reference. I didn't know what I was getting myself into. I was very concerned about getting myself into an environment and doing myself a disservice.'' Mukudem came in at number five on Sunday and shared in a useful partnership of 84 with Jermaine Postlethwaite who top scored with 81. Postlethwaite played the lead role while Mukudem took time to adjust to the pace of the wicket.

"The biggest challenge for me is the wickets. Back home we play on grass, a special kind of grass, which is completetly different,'' he explained. "Back home the wickets are much quicker and more bouncy and the ball comes faster onto the bat.'' Eventually Mukudem, who usually batted at number three for his South African club and never bowled, would like to come in higher up the Stars batting order. It was his bowling in the Western Stars nets that convinced his captain that he might have something to offer in that department, too.

The result was six overs for 13 runs with one wicket as he was given the new ball with another debutant, Sam Stevens, and got a wicket with his first legitimate delivery.

"I'll have to get much fitter in order to bowl and bat decent,'' he stressed.

"I tell the guys that I came here from Premier League cricket and when my contract is up I will go back to South Africa and play Premier League again.

As an opening bowler I'm looking forward to bowling to quality batsmen so that I can judge my performances.'' Mukudem describes his new captain as a "super absorbing robot'', for the way he soaks up advice and suggestions.

"If you know something he doesn't, he pulls it out of you,'' Mukudem explained. "He's always open to suggestions. It's my intention to impart some of my knowledge as well.'' After a match against Warwick this Sunday, Stars have a big weekend a week later when they meet Bailey's Bay in the semi-finals of the Camel Cup. The winners will meet either Southampton Rangers or St. George's in the final the following day and Mukudem is looking forward to another top clash.

"I might not appreciate the importance of these games but I will take each match as it comes and that should serve me well,'' he said.

"I'm just trying to leave something behind and not just be a player who comes to practice and then leaves. But I'm here to be taught as well.'' Solid start: South African Saleem Mukudem clips the ball off his toes during a knock of 26 in his debut for Western Stars on Sunday at Wellington Oval.