Bermuda 106

Scotland 282 and 83-3

So this is what Gus Logie meant by tough times. Throughout the last week when the expectations surrounding his team reached new heights, national coach Logie has been urging caution.

There were, according to Logie, going to be times when his side would be on the backfoot and struggling. That time is now, and the true test of this side's character will be how they respond to the challenge.

Scotland are now in full command of this Intercontinental Cup game and only an horrendous mistake, or supreme show of skill, is likely to change this game from its inevitable conclusion – a rather comfy win for the visitors.

It should be said, however, that Bermuda were only really behind for one session, but in that time they lost seven wickets for 51 runs and with it any chance of winning the game.

Having bowled Bermuda out for a paltry 106, Scotland could have enforced the follow-on and really made the home side suffer. They chose not to do so, and nearly paid for it dearly with George O'Brien producing a hostile spell of fast bowling to reduce them to 23 for three at one stage.

Dougie Lockhart was trapped lbw, Qasim Sheikh lost his off-stump to one that nipped back, and Richie Berrington was out first ball, caught behind by Jekon Edness.

As was the case with the first innings however, Fraser Watts stood firm, and he and Colin Smith put on 50 to see Scotland to 83 for three by the close of play. With a lead of 259, Scotland are unlikely to lose, but at least Bermuda have made a fight of it.

It's all so different to the end of the first day when Bermuda had Scotland at 240 for seven and looked like the side in the ascendency. But in truth they never really took control of the game yesterday.

Dwayne Leverock may have picked up two more wickets in the first hour to take his haul for the first innings to six, but Scotland, through Dewald Nel and Ross Lyons added 42 valuable runs to their overnight total.

Still, 282 didn't look like much, and with Chris Foggo and Oronde Bascome safely negotiationg that dangerous time before lunch to see the home side to 33 without loss, it certainly looked like a very gettable total.

However, the afternoon session was a disaster for Bermuda, and in truth the warning signs had been there from the start of the innings.

To such a young side, the four-day game is still a rather new experience, and while some have yet to come to terms with the idea of being patient and building an innings, others are struggling with the more basic aspects of the game, like how to bat against spinners.

It is strange to see a side that has the likes of Leverock and Rodney Trott struggle to play spin, and yet, yesterday, it was, for the most part, treated as an alien concept never seen before.

Foot movement is key to plaing spin, as is having the ability to making a decision and sticking to it. Too often Bermuda's batsmen didn't move their feet, or went forwards, then back, then forwards again as they tried to decide how to play the ball.

The only batsmen who got in was Foggo who made 53, but he eventually fell to Majid Haq, when he got caught in two minds and was bowled.

Foggo's innings was aggressive, and included some fine shots, especially off the back foot, but he will have to temper his approach if he is to succed more regularly in this form of the game.

Too often he tried to force things, as he might in a limited overs match, but he has a good eye, and agression is never a bad thing as long as it is harnessed in the right way.

Given the trouble that Bermuda were having with spin, it was somewhat surprising that most of the wickets actually fell to the seamers Sean Weeraratna and Nel.

The pair benefitted, however, from the squeeze that Haq and Ross Lyons put on the Bermuda batsmen, Weeraratna especially who took three wickets in 15 balls to rip the heart out of Bermuda's middle order.

"We struggled today," said Bermuda captain Irving Romaine. "The wicket is a hard wicket to bat on, it's taking spin tremendously and it's a challenge. And we didn't buckle right down and then one bad session and we were done.

"The seam wasn't bothering us at all, with Oronde (Bascome) and Chris (Foggo) handling it, and then we had the spin and it all went haywire.

"One session isn't the end of the world, but we could have been more competitive during that session. But we came back strong. George O'Brien had a good showing, we just need to be patient and it will come.

"We just need to go as hard as we can, push the lead that they have, bat for a day and a half, and make a game out of it. We bat quite a way down, so we can always make a push for it if we keep it in range."