none at all during their recent venture to the US Open Team Championships in Baltimore, Maryland.

Already unable to locate a fourth team member as cover for the unavailable Alden Ray before leaving Bermuda last Thursday, more turmoil occurred as two team members, Mansfield Smith and Myron Piper missed the direct flight from Bermuda to Baltimore, subsequently being re-routed through Philadelphia.

Nevertheless, more disaster came on arrival at the southeastern seaboard port, affectionately known as `Charm City', with Smith forced to pull out due to leg problems brought on by the cold weather.

This left team captain Nick Frost and Piper in a severe bind, as the only active players, and it was decided that the squad would draft in two `at large' unattached players, with Phillip Wong and Chi Wan Lee, both of Chicago, recruited to fill the void.

Friday's placement round saw Bermuda struggle with the oversized ball used for the event, recording just two team wins, beating Crushing Attitudes 5-2 and New York Table Tennis Club II by default, while losing against Jose of 3 of Us (2-5) and Cleveland Chopping Blocks (3-5).

They were thus placed in Group 4A, meaning that they could finish as high as 49th or as low as 56th of the 190 teams competing.

However, the round robin presented more drama, with Frost suffering back and groin injuries against Pittsburgh's offering The Game, while Wong was only available during the late afternoon.

Needless to say Bermuda lost more than they won, their only triumph a default victory against www Table Tennis tv.

Bermuda thus ended at the lower end, finishing 56th overall, with Wong the most successful with a 7-7 record, followed by Frost (6-6), Piper (2-14) and Lee (1-13).