Bermuda stepped up their preparations for the ICC T20 World Cup Qualifier with a 53-run victory over Nigeria in a warm-up game in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, today.

Batting first after winning the toss at the Tolerance Oval, Bermuda scored 171 for five off 20 overs, with opener Okera Bascome top scoring with 49 off 35 balls and Deunte Darrell hitting 47 off 25 balls.

Dion Stovell, the Bermuda captain, struck 25 off 27 balls and Kamau Leverock thumped 23 off 17. Daniel Ajeku was the pick of the Nigeria bowlers, taking three wickets for 26 runs.

In reply, Nigeria were all out for 118 off 19.5 overs, with off spinner Rodney Trott and seam bowler Leverock both taking two wickets.

Bermuda will be making their first appearance in the T20 World Cup Qualifier, which starts in Dubai on Friday, in six years.

Coach Herbie Bascome’s side play Hong Kong in their final warm-up game tomorrow in Dubai before their opening group A game against Papua New Guinea on Saturday.

Further matches for Bermuda will then follow against Singapore on Sunday, Kenya next Monday and Namibia next Tuesday. Matches five and six will be against Scotland and the Netherlands, the top-rated teams in the group, at Dubai International Stadium and televised live.

The play-offs for teams who finish in the top four in each group will begin on October 29.

ICC T20 WORLD CUP QUALIFIER

Warm-up match

Bermuda v Nigeria

Tolerance Oval, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (Bermuda won toss): Bermuda won by 53 runs

Bermuda

Okera Bascome c S Okpe b Abiodun Abioye 49

*Dion Stovell lbw Daniel Ajeku 25

Kamau Leverock b Daniel Ajeku 23

Allan Douglas c C Onwuzulike b Daniel Ajeku 3

Deunte Darrell not out 47

Onias Bascome run out 12

Janeiro Tucker not out 4

Extras (lb 5, w 8) 13

Total (45.5 overs; 20 overs) 146

Rodney Trott, Malachi Jones, †Sinclair Smith, George O’Brien, Derrick Brangman did not bat.

Fall of wickets: 1-76, 2-84, 3-90, 4-123, 5-166.

Bowling: Adewoye 3-0-23-0; Akachukwu 1-0-5-0; Okpe 3-0-33-0; Onwuzulike 2-0-21-0; Abioye 4-0-22-1; Ajeku 4-0-26-3; Okpe 2-0-16-0; Adedeji 1-0-22-0.

Nigeria

Daniel Ajeku c Allan Douglas b George O’Brien 5

Adeleke Oyede c M Jones b Kamau Leverock 25

Sesan Adedeji c & b Rodney Trott 5

Chimezie Onwuzulike c D Stovell b Janeiro Tucker 18

Vincent Adewoye run out 2

Isaac Okpe run out 7

*†Ademola Onikoyi c Sinclair Smith b Rodney Trott 32

Daniel Gim c Okera Bascome b Kamau Leverock 3

Sylvester Okpe c Kamau Leverock b Allan Douglas 10

Chima Akachukwu not out 4

Abiodun Abioye run out 2

Extras (w 5) 5

Total (all out, 19.5 overs) 118

Fall of wickets: 1-23, 2-28, 3-43, 4-53, 5-62, 6-73, 7-82, 8-97, 9-116, 10-118.

Taiwo Mohammed, Segun Ogundipe, Gershon Yusuf, Sulaimon Runsewe did not bat.

Bowling: O’Brien 3-0-14-1; Brangman 4-0-19-0; Rodney Trott 3.5-0-26-2; Kamau Leverock 3-0-14-2; Tucker 3-0-20-1; Stovell 1-0-6-0; Douglas 1-0-5-1 Onias Bascome 1-0-14-0.

Umpires: Raveendra Wimalasiri (Sri Lanka), Ahsan Raza (Pakistan).

Reserve Umpire: Shiju Sam (United Arab Emirates).

Tomorrow’s warm-up game

Bermuda v Hong Kong, Dubai International Stadium