five matches yesterday when they scored an impressive eight-wicket win over Canada in their opening quarter-final group match.

The result means that Bermuda can book a place in the semifinals tomorrow when they take on Ireland in the second of their three round-robin matches.

Yesterday, Noel Gibbons claimed four wickets and Anthony Edwards and Bruce Perinchief two each as Canada were restricted to 149-9 from 43.2 overs.

Bermuda had a good start in their chase for the winning runs as Dexter Smith (44) and captain Albert Steede (48) put on 90 for the first wicket.

Then, after the pair departed, Clay Smith with 21 not out and Charlie Marshall (22 not out) carried the team to victory in 34.5 overs.

About $300,000 has been spent on Bermuda's campaign in the last couple of years, and more will be spent if the team reaches the World Cup in 1996 but acting president of the Bermuda Cricket Board of Control, Mr. Reginald Pearman, insists the board is not desperate for funds.

"There is nothing wrong with our financial position, we are striving like everybody else to take the team to the next height,'' Pearman said last night.

"We are definitely not in a desperate financial position.'' If Bermuda qualifies some additional money will have to be raised, but funds will also be forthcoming from the World Cup organisers as a participating team, though after they get there.

A report in the Times of London on Tuesday mentioned how the Bermuda team, like so many other teams in the ICC Trophy, is made up mostly of West Indian players, which did not go down too well with locals.

Yesterday, the BBC World Service sought to correct the error, pointing out that 14 of Bermuda's 16 players were "born and bred'' in Bermuda. Pace bowlers Anthony Edwards, who was born in Jamaica but has been living in Bermuda since he was a young boy, and Kenny Phillip are the two non-Bermuda born players in the squad with only Edwards a regular in the team.

It was incorrectly stated last night on VSB sports that Bermuda had advanced to the semifinals after their opening win in the quarter-final round robin.

Bermuda still have two group matches to play and must finish in the top two places in their four-team group to advance to the last four. That could virtually be achieved with a win over Ireland tomorrow.