Bermuda 364-5

Argentina 63

It's do or die today for Bermuda's Under-19 cricketers and they have tuned up for their World Cup Qualifier showdown with Canada in magnificent style.

On the back of a superb 204 by the swash-buckling Dion Stovell, the Bermudians annihilated Argentina by 301 runs yesterday in Toronto, Canada.

The Islanders amassed a tournament high of 364 for five in 50 overs before skittling out the South Americans for 63 in 21.1 overs.

This comprehensive victory leaves them with a fighting chance of winning the tournament to advance to the Under-19 World Cup in Bangladesh next February.

"Going into today's game we had certain objectives. We wanted to bat first and make a big total, in excess of the 347 runs which Canada made against Argentina; both for the net run rate and to make a psychological statement. We managed to achieve both those goals.

"We wanted to bowl them out a little cheaper but we are quite happy to get them out for 63," said national coach Mark Harper.

"The performance today gives us a chance going into tomorrow's (today's) game. We are hoping we can play to our full potential and win."

If Canada - who are unbeaten so far - prevail today they will win the tournament outright. However, if Bermuda triumph, then the top team will be determined on net run rate as the two side would be equal on points.

Harper and the other team officials would be heartened by Stovell's sterling effort yesterday which saw the opener carry his bat until the last over. The right-hander faced 179 in scoring what was not only the competition's first double hundred but also its first hundred.

"It was a very good innings. Obviously he was short of runs and we told him he should try to bat through the innings. He started slowly and was searching for his timing but as he blossomed we saw his full repertoire of strokes.

"It was a really lovely innings; very commanding. It's good to see the young man coming into some form, especially heading into tomorrow's clash," said Harper.

The coach also complimented Oronde Bascome for a polished 35, adding that Delyone Borden - the hero versus the USA - made a valuable 29 also.

An all-round bowling performance earned Bermuda an early afternoon with Jacobi Robinson taking three for 23; Rodney Trott, two for five; Shane Hollis, two for nine and Borden, two for 13.

"Jacobi had a good opening burst. He is getting better as the tournament goes on but he is still not up to his fastest. Still it would have been a morale-boosting performance for him ahead of tomorrow," noted Harper.

Buoyed by his accomplishment, Stovell is aiming for an encore today, relying on the policy that sparked his run feast.

"My goal is to stay at the wicket - runs will come.

"I took my time today (yesterday) because in the first two games I didn't get any runs so I decided to get a nice big score. I'm going to try to take it through to tomorrow and hopefully we'll come home champions," said the Warwick batsman.

The 18-year-old set himself mini-landmarks throughout the innings - to bat through the first 15 overs, then the second 15 overs, then to the water break and then to the end - and that approach paid handsome dividends.

"I think it was a good performance.

"I am happy to win. Coming into the last ten overs we were about 290 and I told the other batsman that we're looking for about 350. So then we pushed the runs and got up to 364," he said, adding that Argentina's bowling had "a lot of loose balls to put away".