Beleagured Bermuda crashed to their third straight defeat of the Twenty20 World Cup Qualifiers losing by eight wickets in the fifth and sixth-place play-off match against Canada at Stormont, Belfast, Ireland, yesterday.

In overcast conditions, Canada sent Bermuda in to bat and proceeded to skittle the Islanders out for just 70 runs on the final ball of the last over. Only OJ Pitcher (15) and promising all-rounder Stefan Kelly (11 not out) offered any real resistance.

The paltry total was always going to be difficult to defend for Bermuda and the North American side faced little problem in achieving victory in just 10.3 overs. George O'Brien Jr. managed to give Bermuda a glimmer of hope as he took the first wicket with his very first ball of the innings.

Geoff Barnett scored 31 not out with five fours for Canada, while Ashish Bagai scored 15 not out after John Davison had hit a rapid 19 off 13 balls with two fours and a six.

However, it was Canada's Steven Welsh who walked away with the man-of-the-match award after recording figures of two for six off only three overs.

Bermuda will return home losers of all three of their qualifying matches in the tournament, with their best chance of victory coming in the rain-shortened match against Ireland on Sunday when they were left to chase a revised target of 46 in eight overs to earn a place in the last four stage.

They lost the match by four runs on the Duckworth-Lewis Method as Ireland qualified for the semi-final where they defeated Kenya to reach the final.

Canada, on the other hand, had started impressively in the tournament by defeating the Netherlands before losing to Kenya. That result put all the three teams in Group B on equal points and Canada were left to play in the fifth and sixth-place play-off after failing to qualify for the semi-final on net run-rate.

Ireland and the Netherlands shared the trophy after the final was rained-off without a ball being bowled.

By virtue of qualifying for the final, both Ireland and the Netherlands have been guaranteed places in the 12-team ICC World Twenty20 2009 to be staged at Lord's, The Oval and Trent Bridge next year.

The inclusion of Scotland, who defeated Kenya in the third and fourth-place play-off yesterday, for next year's event is dependent on Zimbabwe Cricket's Board ratifying a decision taken by their officials during ICC Annual Conference week, to step back from the tournament.

If Zimbabwe confirm they won't play, the top Associate from the Belfast event will take Zimbabwe's place in Group A (with India and Bangladesh), the losing finalist will ease into Group B (with England and Pakistan) and the third place side takes a position in Group D (with South Africa and New Zealand).

However, if Zimbabwe opt not to ratify their earlier decision and choose to play in the tournament, the top Associate will join England and Pakistan in Group B and the losing finalists will form Group D with South Africa and New Zealand.

n For full Bermuda v Canada scorecard see Page 14.