By Colin ThompsonBermuda got their ICC Americas Division 1 T20 campaign off to the best possible start in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.The senior national cricket squad recorded an emphatic 127 run win against Bahamas in a lopsided affair at Brian Piccolo Park.Bermuda piled up 192 for four in their allotted overs and then mowed their Caribbean counterparts down for a paltry 65 in 17.4 overs.Dion Stovell, David Hemp and Janeiro Tucker accounted for the bulk of Bermuda’s runs while seamer Malachi Jones was virtually unplayable on the way to a superb three wicket haul.Spinner Jacobi Robinson and seamers Greg Maybury and Tucker claimed two wickets each as an asking rate of nearly ten runs per over proved beyond Bahamas’ reach.”“It was a good solid, all round performance,” said interim national coach Arnold Manders. “The players did everything that was asked of them. Their fielding was sharp and they batted and bowled extremely well.”Manders said it was vital for his players to get an early win under their belts to boost team morale.“This win was just what we needed as it gives the players confidence,” he added. “I think the players should feel confident in their performance and I don’t have any complaints.”Bermuda were sent in to bat on a damp track after losing the toss and lost skipper Stephen Outerbridge for a golden duck on the first delivery of the innings as Bahamas made early inroads with the new ball. The Bailey’s Bay man cut a slow delivery right into the hands of the fielder at point.However, Bahamas’ joy was short-lived as a timely 153 -run second wicket stand between Stovell and Hemp swung the pendulum in Bermuda’s favour.The fruitful partnership was eventually broken in the 18th over when Hemp, who gathered 66 from 54 deliveries, was bowled attempting to accelerate the run rate. Hemp struck four sixes and boundaries.Incoming pinch-hitter Lionel Cann (one) lasted only four balls before he was controversially dismissed. Cann was caught at short cover off a delivery that appeared to be tossed above waist height that under normal circumstances would be ruled a no ball to leave Bermuda at 155 for three with 11 balls remaining in the innings.Bahamas would claim another scalp in the form of Tucker but not before the swashbuckling batsman smashed four sixes and six boundaries in a whirlwind knock of 30 from just eight deliveries that kept the scorers busy.Tucker dominated a 35-run fourth wicket stand with top scorer Stovell who stroked an unbeaten 77 from 56 balls that included nine boundaries.Tucker’s robust innings ended in the last over when he went for one big hit too many and was caught in the deep.Albert Peters was the pick of Bahamas bowling with three for 26.Bahamas’ reply got off to a rocky start as they lost their first two wickets with only 20 runs on the board and never really recovered before eventually folding for a paltry total.Jones bowled a steady line and length and was rewarded with superb figures of three for six off three overs to lead Bermuda’s attack. And he was ably supported by the trio of Maybury, Tucker and Robinson who held their end of the bargain.Fellow seamers Maybury and Tucker claimed two for 19 and two for seven while spinner Robinson took two for ten respectively.Left handed bat Narendra Ekanayake topped the Bahamas batting with 14 from 22 deliveries batting at number eight.Bermuda will face Suriname today in their second Americas Division 1 T20 match at Central Broward Regional Park.The eventual top two countries in Florida will advance to November’s ICC World T20 global qualifiers in Dubai.