Emotional scenes almost beyond description erupted over the small Irish village of Waringstown yesterday as Bermuda?s cricketing warriors qualified for their first-ever World Cup.

Tears of joy streamed down the players? faces as the enormity of their accomplishment sank in.

A frenzy of high fives and hugs followed, screams of delight echoing around the small ground with members of the Northern Ireland Cricket Union, as bemused perhaps as Bermuda?s players were ecstatic, looking on.

Victory over the USA marked the national team?s third win in as many matches ? sandwiched around the rain-out against Uganda ? and it couldn?t have been more emphatic, a 113-run thrashing of an American side who they have failed to master in recent years.

Fittingly it was a spectacular diving catch from Albert Steede off the bowling of centurion and man-of-the-match Janeiro Tucker that sealed the win, dismissing the USA?s last bat and sparking celebrations rarely seen before from a Bermuda team.

Bermuda needed to win to ensure qualification for the 2007 World Cup in the West Indies and a place in the ICC Trophy semi-finals in Dublin tomorrow, but at the same time hope that rivals Denmark were beaten by hosts and group winners Ireland to ensure that the all-important second place wasn?t decided on run rate.

And when news filtered through minutes after their own triumph that the Irish had indeed comprehensively beaten the Danes, the celebration party got even wilder.

Inside the dressing room, the tears continued to flow as players joined hands and sang at the top of their voices.

?A lot of us have wanted this all of our lives,? wept skipper Clay Smith, who was again forced to watch from the sidelines as he nursed a hamstring injury.

?All our lives we?ve worked for this one moment, and it?s just too emotional, unbelievable, totally unbelievable.

?When you think of what we?ve achieved you think of all the past cricketers that also worked so hard to get to this point and were unsuccessful.

?This is for them. This is their day as well, they laid the platform and we?re all very appreciative.

?I never dreamt we could do it.?

The tournament is far from over, a difficult semi-final clash against Scotland awaiting following today?s 100-mile drive down to Dublin.

But last night nobody was even thinking about that. It was a case of mission accomplished. Anything achieved from here on will simply be icing on the cake.

Written off by a number of doubting Thomases before their departure two weeks? ago, and adjusting to the 11th hour axing from the squad of veteran Charlie Marshall and the injury which cost key pace bowler Kevin Hurdle his place in the team, Bermuda?s players were never shaken from their own self-belief.

The team spirit which has shone through so brightly during both victory and defeat over the past two weeks was again all too evident yesterday.

Tucker, again standing in for his injured captain, stole the thunder with a masterful 132, spiced with ten huge sixes and eight fours ? his highest ever score at international level and the best by an Island player in ICC Trophy history, eclipsing the previous record held by Winston Reid.

But as has been the case all week, the all-round team performance was exceptional, Dwayne (Sluggo) Leverock, who seems to get better with every game, mesmerising the US batsmen with a haul of four wickets for 39 runs, and Saleem Mukuddem continuing to impress in his role as opening bowler with figures of three for 30.

The US, a team comprised entirely of players from either the West Indies or Pakistan, were outplayed in every department, the loss adding to three previous defeats and completing what has proved to be a thoroughly miserable tournament.

How their misery contrasted with Bermuda?s elation!