Bermuda 254-9Melbourne CC 220Bermuda’s national team picked up a hard-fought victory over the touring Jamaicans today, despite a batting slump and some loose bowling at times at Somerset Cricket Club.Bermuda finished about 40 runs short of their expected total after being comfortably placed at 195-2 with ten overs still remaining and with big hitters like Janeiro Tucker, Lionel Cann and Jacobi Robinson still to come. However, the Jamaicans fought back by taking two wickets in the 42nd over, including a first-ball duck for Tucker, two in the 45th and two more in the 48th over as the last five wickets went down for just 25 runs.Chasing their target at an asking rate of five an over, Melbourne were well placed at 100-3 before a middle order slump, started by a brilliant catch by Kamau Leverock high above his head on the square leg boundary to dismiss Taffari Williams and make it 102-4, changed the complexion of the match. Three more wickets went down in the space of 41 runs to make it 143-7 before an eighth wicket stand of 49 with wicketkeeper Garfield Moore (19) and Shamal Anderson (41) kept the tourists in the match, forcing Bermuda to work hard for another breakthrough.And even when Anderson, who hit five fours and a six in his 36-ball 41, was ninth out, Melbourne did not concede defeat as last-pair Chris Lamont and Denva Passley added 14 more before Passley was bowled by Jacobi Robinson to end their innings 34 runs short and with 6.3 overs still remaining.Number four bat Andre McCartney was high man for Melbourne with 74 off 80 balls which included eight fours and three sixes, while Anderson hit five fours and a six to keep it exciting despite Melbourne’s late order slump.Spinners Sammy Robinson and Jacobi Robinson each took three wickets, the former coming back with two wickets in his second spell to finish with three for 36 off seven overs while Jacobi had a wicket in each of his three overs to finish with three for 23 off 2.3 overs. Slow left-armer Delray Rawlins, who was punished for pitching too short at times, claimed one for 30 off seven overs as his only victim, Dave Johnson, got a leading edge to a full toss that he tried to turn through midwicket and gave a simple catch to captain Stephen Outerbridge at short extra cover.Treadwell Gibbons, sharing the new ball with Leverock in the absence of Malachi Jones and Greg Maybury, claimed two for 44 off nine overs of gentle medium pace.Earlier Gibbons helped lay a good foundation for Bermuda after Melbourne won the toss and sent them in to bat. He and Jason Anderson put on 75 for the first wicket before Gibbons fell for 31. Anderson then found another reliable partner in Tre Manders as the pair put on 65 more for the second wicket before another 65-run stand between Anderson and captain Outerbridge (35) for the third wicket posted the 200 with nine overs remaining.The bulk of Bermuda’s runs came from the top four batsmen; Gibbons hitting 31 from 40 balls with four fours and a six, Anderson top-scoring with 76 from 99 balls with seven fours and two sixes after being dropped on 39, and youngster Manders showing great promise with a responsible even 50 from 87 balls with three fours and a six. Lionel Cann (15) was the only other batsman in double figures.Andre McCartney also performed admirably with the ball, taking four for 39 off nine overs while paceman Denya Passley claimed two for 56 off 10 and Shamal Anderson two for 38 off 10. It was the Jamaicans’ first loss on the tour after convincing wins over the Jamaican Association and hosts Somerset Cricket Club in two 20/20 matches.“They are in the top division in Jamaica, are a good team and we’re getting some good cricket,” said Manders afterwards. “I don’t underestimate anybody, and they are coming right out of their season and have had more match practice than us. There are a decent team with some good spinners, a genuine quickie and bat strong from the top right down to number ten.“We didn’t execute out bowling plan today at all so that made the game a lot tougher for us. I think we were 50 runs short of what we should have got, and we (bowlers) didn’t hold our line and length and it made it difficult for us in the end. The guy who made 74 (McCartney) all he did was hit bad balls and in the Division 3 Tournament that will be licks.”Added the coach: “Overall they stuck to it and never dropped their heads which is a good point and we can only go from strength to strength from here. Today the ground fielding and catching was pretty good. I take the win, give them full credit for sticking to the task and getting it done, but there is still room for improvement.”