WORLD CUP GROUP B

BERMUDA v SRI LANKA

BERMUDA'S REPLY

After five overs

Score: 8 for 2

David Hemp: 6

OJ Pitcher: 1

Run rate: 1.60

The loss of Clay early on was precisely the setback Bermuda didn't want, though replays suggested he was a bit unlucky. Sure Hawkeye said it was going to shave leg stump, but what's happened to the benefit of the doubt going in the batsman's favour? Clay had every right to look disappointed.

But the situation got even worse when number three batsman Saleem Mukuddem looked to be giving slip catching practice when he deflected an apparently harmless ball outside the off stump straight into the gloves of the wicket-keeper Sangakkara.

Let's hope this doesn't turn into yet another batting disaster.

After a brief flirtation with Dean Minors at the top of the order, Logie has promoted OJ Pitcher once again, who looked nervous and technically out of his depth in that position in the warm-up game against England.

Still, he looks OK here, even against the searing pace of Lasith Malinga from the pavilion end, who is letting them go at well over 90 miles-an hour. You won't find his slingy action anywhere in the coaching manual, but his skiddy pace is undeniably effective. Somebody should take him aside and have a word with him about his haircut though. His blonde fluffy locks look alarmingly like my 80-year-old grandmother's died perm.

Hemp has strolled to the wicket and has looked comfortable from the start - flicking Vaas over square leg for three and chopping one through cover point for a couple. Can the pro who has been a bit of disappointment over the past few months deliver on the biggest stage? Let's hope so.

FIFTH BALL: WICKET! Clay Smith is trapped lbw by an inswinger from Chaminda Vaas. Bermuda nought for one in only the first over.

After 50 overs

Score:321 for six

Russel Arnold: 2 not out

Chamara Silva: 55 not out

Run rate: 6.42

The innings is over an the Bermuda team are walking over the field with the shouting and the clapping of the stubbornly upbeat Bermuda supporters ringing in their ears.

Mukuddem and Hurdle picked up a wicket apiece in the last five overs as the Sri Lankan batsmen thrashed, but they must now put together their highest ever ODI score to pull off what would be arguably the greatest upset in World Cup history.

It was looking as if the Sri Lankans would get close to 350 or more in the early stages, so the bowlers dragged the game back well.

Mukuddem finished with figures of two for 50 off his ten overs - an effort he should be very proud of. A bowler of his pace is usually meat and drink to these calibre of players, but he bowled straight and accurately and was rewarded accordingly.

Bermuda's big bowling hope Dwayne Leverock had a frustrating time of it and went at over six per over. The wicket gave him absolutely nothing and the Sri Lankans played him superbly all the way through his spell. And after dropping two catches, the most important being Jayawardene on nought, it would be fair to say that Leverock did not enjoy the happiest of World Cup debuts.

It will be a massive challenge for the Bermuda batsmen now. The Sri Lankans have got some very useful seamers who should enjoy themselves on this deck, which has a tinge of green on it visible even from the press box.

As Kevin Hurdle demonstrated in his penetrative first over when he split Jayasuriya's finger with a sharply rising delivery from just back of a length, there is plenty in this pitch to keep the seam bowlers interested. Bermuda's problem though, was that they lacked the seamers with the neccessary skill and accuracy to take advantage of the situation.

Nevertheless, restricting such quality opposition to under 350 was a decent enough effort and we're all looking forward to seeing the boys have a bat.

Join us again at the Queen's Park Oval in just under 45 minutes' time.

After 45 overs

Score: 281 for four

Tillekeratne Dilshan: 4

Chamara Silva: 34

Run rate: 6.24

BRILLIANT, BRILLIANT CATCH BY HURDLE!

Having looked as if he was coasting towards his century, Jayawardena got down on one knee and smashed Lionel Cann over square-leg, only to be thwarted by Hurdle, who dived full length to pluck the ball out the air. Truly brilliant. Sri Lanka are still in a very comfortable position, but that sublime moment from Hurdle has lifted the spirits of the crowd. Jaywardene went for a well-made 85, though it should have been nought if Bermuda had held their catches.

Earlier, Jayawardene really turned on the style just before he was out, smashing off-spinner Irving Romaine over mid-on for six and then cutting him behind square on the off side before. As expected, the Sri Lankans started to seriously accelerate and timed their late-innings charge to perfection.

Leverock and Romaine bowled in tandem for a while - with the unfortunate Borden going for over nine an over off his three, although the others were doing little better.

In fairness to the Bermuda boys, they haven't let their heads drop and are still running around enthusiastically in the field. But they're up against a terrific side in Sri Lanka whose batsmen are capable of scoring runs at will against such a gentle bowling attack.

The wicket has certainly got easier to bat on as the innings has progressed and the white ball has got old and battered from its frequent journeys into the stands. But it would not be a surprise if Sri Lanka's new-ball attack of Lasith Malinga and Chaminda Vaas do some serious damage.

After 40 overs

Score: 241 for three

Jayawardene: 74

Chamara Silva: 12

LEVEROCK SNARES HIS FIRST

After not looking like taking a wicket, the big man has Sangakkara caught superbly on the deep mid-wicket boundary after running sharply to his left.

The Sri Lankans continue to pile on the runs with ten overs left and with the run-rate of six an over now set to climb further, Bermuda are going to have one heck of a total to chase.

After 35 overs

Score: 206 for two

Sangakkara: 62

Jayawardene: 65

Run rate: 5.88

Have just been informed by an Indian journalist sitting nearby that the World Cup record for highest score is 398. Sri Lanka might not make it there, but 350 is a realistic possibility from here if they really push in the last ten overs.

Just to the highlight the limited nature of our bowling attack, Lionel Cann has been introduced into the attack - promptly bowling a wide off his first delivery. Lionel hasn't done that much bowling of late and hopefully he won't be put to the sword.

Jayawardene brought up his 50 in the 30th over. How he has made the Bermuda team pay for dropping him off the very first ball of his innings! Leverock was the guilty party then, and he did exactly the same in the 31st over when he dropped another relatively easy catch off the Sri Lankan captain - this time at cover point off Cann. Quite what Leverock was doing fielding in the most important position in limited-overs cricket goodness only knows, but the fact is that Sri Lanka should now be three down and have been let off the hook. You don't get too many straightforward chances at this level, so when they come you just cannot afford to squander them.

To rub more salt into Bermuda's wounds, Sangakkara spooned one up on the leg side off Cann, but it ended up landing in between deep mid-on and midwicket.

Borden's done alright since he came on, but in truth both Sangakkara and Jayawardene look as relaxed as if they were having a net practice. The young man's on a bit of a hiding to nothing bowling at this stage of the innings.

The 200 came up in the 35th over.

After 30 overs

Score: 163 for two

Jayawardene: 48

Sangakkara 38

Run rate: 5.43

Janeiro has finished his ten-over spell and went for exactly 50 after an expensive final over in which Jayawardene smeared him over midwicket for a powerful six. But even still, in the context of the game that really was an excellent spell from the all-rounder, who bowled with accuracy and control, as well as generating a little outswing at times.

At the other end Sluggo's doing alright, though he's going for almost six an over as the Sri Lankan duo work him around the park with relative ease.

The off-spinner Delyone Borden is due to come into the attack after the drinks break always takes place after 30 overs. Is it just me or does the poor boy always get asked to bowl near the end of the innings when the batsmen are looking to be aggressive? He had to do so against England and Zimbabwe and whether you should really have a young off-spinner bowling at that stage of the innings is debatable.

The weather has clouded over in the last half an hour or so, though the threat of rain is apparently small.

After 25 overs

Score:131 for 2

Sangakkara: 22

Jayawardene: 33

Run rate: 5.2

At last, Sluggo is introduced into the attack in the 21st over. A family member in the stands holds up a sign proclaiming "Go Uncle Sluggo!" while Leverock's mother Alison could be seen laughing away in the stands as her newly-famous boy makes his World Cup debut.

Leverock's first over went for six runs without an aggressive shot being played. Like allr, Asian teams the Sri Lankans are very adept at playing spin and are demonstrating how easy it is to go at six-an-over or more by simply knocking the ball into the gaps and running well between the wickets. Bermuda's batsmen might want to take a close look at that.

Another thing which is not working in Sluggo's favour is the wicket.

Against England in St. Vincent he was presented with a turning track with inconsistent bounce which, if he could choose, he would probably elect to bowl on for the rest of his career.

This Queen's Park Oval wicket has a very healthy covering of grass on it, however, and he won't be able to get much purchase from it unfortunately. He may just have to keep firing it in relatively flat today and concentrate more on containment than being a wicket-taker. On the plus side though, at least Muralitharan shouldn't be able to turn it square when it's his turn to bowl. I'm sure the Bermuda batsmen will be grateful for that - though the pace and bounce that the wicket offered even a medium-pacer like Hurdle on the rare occassion he got it right in the first few overs will be a worry to Bermuda's openers.

Meanwhile, Janeiro Tucker continues to wheel away from the Media Centre end. He hasn't taken a wicket yet but he's bowling very tidily and in all honesty has been by far the best bowler. Says a lot about our bowling attack that doesn't it? He's really only considered a part-timer.

After 20 overs

Score:108 for two

Sangakkara: 10

Jayawardene: 23

Run rate: 5.42

After a pretty average start, Bermuda are now doing much better, though if Sri Lanka keep wickets in hand, a score of 300-plus is still very much on.

Considering he is of no great pace, Mukuddem has bowled very well so far against such quality batsmen, particularly when he's had Minors standing up to the stumps to prevent the batsmen from dancing down the wicket.

Romaine has taken Mukuddem off now, however, and replaced him with the medium-paced Tucker from the Media Centre end. He's even slower than Mukuddem, but has bowled very straight and the Sri Lankan batsmen appear to be treating him with relative respect.

Leverock, fielding at mid-wicket, just had to chase a ball which pulled up just short of the boundary - a gallop which was met with enthusiastic cheers from the crowd and has been replayed several times now by the television. The big man can't stay out of the limelight for long!

One or two people in the press box here at the Queen's Park Oval were speculating that the ground would start to fill up as the day went along - but so far that hasn't really happened. There's probably around 700 spectators here in total, certainly not as many as surround the pitch during Cup Match, but then again this ground is ten times bigger than both Wellington Oval and Somerset Cricket Club so it might be a little bit deceptive. "There's more World Cup volunteers here than fans" says a journalist beside me - and he might very well be right. There should be more people in the ground when Bermuda take on India on Monday, given the big Indian population down here in Trinidad. Certainly the India-Sri Lanka and India-Bangladesh games are already sold out, so maybe the fans will come flocking on Monday with the likes of Tendulkar on display.

Score: 85 for 2

Sangakkara: 1

Jaywardene: 16

Run rate: 5.64

ANOTHER WICKET AS BERMUDA FIGHT BACK!

Kevin Hurdle, who was taken out the attack after a disastrous second over which cost 24, was brought on to bowl at the pavilion end, and then promptly snaps up Bermuda's second wicket off his fifth ball as Tharanga looks to glance the ball down to fine leg and gets a thin edge through to Dean Minors, which the 'keeper does well to hang on to. He's bowled poorly so far has Hurdle, but he's got a one in the wickets column nonetheless as Tharanga departs for 30.

The wicket has brought the Bermuda crowd to life - they're singing and dancing merrily in the stands as Sri Lanka's wicketkeeper Kuma Sangakkara strolls in to bat at number four in the order. A wonderful sight.

The run rate may still be healthy but at least Bermuda are now competing. The television images are panning across the small contingent of Bermuda fans and have focused in on a group who have made giant cardboard cut-outs of Sluggo Leverock's smiling face.

Kevin Hurdle then bowls a maiden off the 14th over! Nobody in the press box can believe it. Seems the wicket has helped him sort out his control. Mukuddem continues to bowl steadily while Hurdle's improving. Let's hope they can keep the momentum going.

After 10 overs

Score:65-1

Jayawardene: 2 not out

Tharanga 27 not out

Run rate: 6.5.

OUR FIRST WORLD CUP WICKET! A shortish ball from Mukuddem is cut by Jayasuriya straight to OJ Pitcher at backward point, who holds on to a straightforward catch. A poor shot from the batsman, but Mukky won't mind - he can tell his grand children he dismissed one of the most explosive one-day batsmen ever! Great stuff!

Oh, but the very next ball, Leverock spills an easy chance at slip to dismiss the Sri Lankan captain Mahela Jayawardena. Oh deary, deary me. What a fantastic chance squandered. Mukuddem smiles ruefully - he would have been on a hat-trick if Leverock's butter-fingers hadn't intervened!

Earlier, meanwhile, a Mukuddem wide brought the 50 up in only the seventh over, and it looked very much like Sri Lanka could be on for a score well in excess of 300. Could 400 come under threat? It's a distinct possibility unless the spinners can exert some greater control later on. How early they should be introduced into the attack is a difficult question to answer for Romaine.

Apart from the wicket and one or two streaky shots, the 1996 World Cup champions look ominously in control.

The Bermuda crowd (all 300 of them) remain in good spirits, cheering every dot ball or impressive piece of fielding. The team need all the support they can get.

At least the fielders are throwing themselves around with enthusiasm - Lionel Cann stopping what seemed a certain boundary with a fantastic full-length dive.

Overs 1-5

Score: 42-0

Jayasuriya: 17 not out

Tharanga: 12

Extras: 12!

Unfortunately, Hurdle's long-term difficulties with his control returned with a vengeance in his second over. He sent down eight extras (five no balls and three wides) in an over that cost 24.

An absolutely terrible over which handed Sri Lanka the initiative almost straight away. As a response, skipper Irving Romaine brought on Janeiro Tucker at the pavilion end and brought on Mukuddem from the opposite end.

The pitch looks to have some life in it for the seamers, but it obviously relies on the bowlers putting the ball consistently in the right areas - which apart from the steady Mukuddem, is just not happening.

What little margin for error there is against top-class batting became evident immediately, as a marginally over-pitched ball from the South African accountant is swatted over cover point by the left-handed Tharanga for six.

As expected, Sri Lanka are well on top early and the next 45 overs are sure to be tough for the Bermuda team.

Sri Lanka have won the toss and elected to bat.

Teams

BERMUDA

Irving Romaine, Dean Minors, Clay Smith, Janeiro Tucker, OJ Pitcher, David Hemp, Lionel Cann, Saleem Mukuddem, Delyone Borden, Kevin Hurdle, Dwayne Leverock. 12th man - Malachi Jones.

SRI LANKA

Maheel Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara, Sanath Jayasuriya, Upul Tharanga, Chamara Silva, T.Dishan, Russell Arnold, Farveez Maharoof, Chaminda Vaas, Lasith Malinga, Muttiah Muralitharan. 12th man - Nuwan Kulasekera.

Umpires: Darryl Harper, Ian Howell.

Match referee: Jeff Crowe