There was good news and bad news for Bermuda's squash players during the Rosebowl tournament in Grand Cayman at the weekend.

In the first days' play in Georgetown, the A team looked on course to take their division, while the B team were on the end of a sound thrashing.

Bermuda and Cayman tied 2-2 with the visitors winning the Men's A and Veterans' divisions 4-1 and conceding the Men's B and Ladies divisions 5-0.

In the A Division, Harry McKenzie took the first game 9-0 over Russ Mucklow at number five. However, the super fit Mucklow knuckled down and soon took control to win the match 0-9, 9-7, 9-5, 9-4.

Ryan Bell, playing at number three and recovering from a back injury suffered during the club championships, played well but found himself 2-1 down after conceding the third game 9-0 against Jeff Broderick. However, Bell fought back and took the match 5-9, 9-7, 0-9, 9-3, 9-5.

The next match featured the number one players -- John MacRury against Bermuda's new professional Gary Plumstead. MacRury had no answer to Plumstead's consistently tight drives, the Bermuda player taking the match 9-0, 9-0, 9-1.

Chase Toogood, at number four, disposed of Piers Stradling 3-1 having worked his opponent around the court for the entire match. Bermuda's Nick Kyme, meanwhile, defeated David Hinch 3-1.

However, if the Bermuda Men's A team proved too strong for their opponents, the same could not be said for the B team who went down 5-0.

It was the same story in the Ladies' division with Tess Mackenzie, the number one string and Bermuda Ladies champion, looking to be in contention.

But the heat took its toll and she lost in five games to Pat McCallum.

In the veterans division, Christine Barnes, number five, won the important first game 10-9 and went on to take the other two 9-3, 9-1.

Rod Holloway, at number three, won the first game 10-8 but he too struggled with the heat and went down 3-1. Number one string John Stout fought gamely against John Cameron to win 3-1.

That left Denise Kyme, the number four player, to produce a convincing 9-2, 9-4, 9-2 win over Cayman's Jackie Slater to tie up the rubber.

Tony Prentice, playing Cayman number two Ian Patrick, ran out a 9-5, 9-1, 10-9 winner.

In other play, Jamaica defeated the Bahamas 3-1, losing only the veterans division. In round two, Bermuda play the Jamaicans.

"Our victory over Cayman in the Men's A must now make us favourites for the division,'' said Bermuda director of sport Ross Triffitt, "Although our B team being defeated so badly was definitely an upset.''