On yet another two-paced, sub-standard surface at the National Sports Centre, the West Indies blew away Bermuda by 97 runs last night.

Though the local side bowled and fielded with distinction to restrict the Windies to 167 for nine off their 50 overs, once again the Bermuda batsmen's penchant for the extravagant cost them dear on a wicket which required toil, graft and - in some cases - more than a healthy dollop of pure luck.

Brian Lara, who made his much-anticipated tour debut yesterday, won the toss and elected to bat first on a new wicket which looked at first glance to be more likely to hold together than the one used by the Windies and Barbados on Tuesday.

Bermuda, as was anticipated, opted to include an extra spinner in the form of Del Hollis, to complement the left arm spin combination of Dwayne Leverock and Hasan Durham - while also deciding to reject the alternative pitch that head groundsman Trevor Madeiros had been preparing with significantly more grass upon it.

Although they missed a few chances early on in the innings, in general both Mukuddem and particularly young Jacobi Robinson bowled impressively.

Lara, batting at the other end from Hinds, began to look dangerous after a cautious start with a number of dismissive flicks off his hip through the leg side, before Robinson was eventually rewarded for his persistent accuracy when he moved one away from the great man to have him caught at the wicket by a diving Dean Minors for 18.

The promising Somerset seamer could surely not have had a bigger thrill in his short cricketing career than dismissing the batsman currently at the top of the world rankings.

The introduction of Leverock from the North Shore end was appropriately timed, and though he tended to pitch a little short in his opening overs, it was not long until he found his rhythm and became is usual excellent self.

Propping forward to the burly left arm spinner bowling over the wicket at his leg stump, there was little West Indian vice-captain Ramnaresh Sarwan could do about a ball which turned and bounced, and flew via an inside edge and pad to Chris Foggo at first slip.

Hinds fell soon after, caught by Leverock off the bowling of Del Hollis, while new batsman Sylvester Joseph was convincingly beaten in the flight by Leverock attempting to drive over cover and was picked up by Mukuddem running in from mid off.

From the outset, the West Indies struggled against the local spin trio and once Ricardo Powell had been yorked by Hollis for 12 and Dwayne Bravo had been caught in the gully by Chris Foggo off Durham for eight, West Indies found themselves struggling at 138 for six.

But thanks to a typically defiant innings by Shivnarine Chanderpaul (35) and some effective late order bludgeoning from wicketkeeper Courtney Browne, the Windies finished up with a score that many observers felt would be beyond the reach of Bermuda's batsmen on such an unpredictable surface.

In reply, all Bermuda's batsmen looked initially comfortable against the extra pace and bounce of Merv Dillon and Corey Collymore - only to then give it away soon after negotiating the opening onslaught.

Chris Foggo (1) was out hooking - an ill-advised shot on a pitch where you could not trust the bounce - while Saleem Mukuddem was caught behind off Collymore - after looking confident and assured for his five - nibbling at a ball outside off-stump that he admitted afterwards he did not necessarily have to play at.

Skipper Clay Smith again looked to be positive and was aggressive with his running between the wickets before he fatally turned the bat ever so slightly too early on a ball which stopped on him, and was caught off a leading edge at mid-off.

Reggie Tucker, batting at number four, drove loosely outside the off stump to be caught behind for four while there was absolutely nothing Dennis Archer could do about a ball which exploded off the dusty pitch from just short of a good length, taking his glove and looping gently into the hands of a grateful Ricardo Powell at backward point.

With Dean Minors out soon after, skying an attempted pull back into the hands of the bowler Dillon for three, Bermuda were sitting at 29 for six and looked on the cusp of one of the most humiliating defeats in the Island's history.

Mercifully however, the veteran Charlie Marshall came to the rescue with a highly impressive 33 in partnership with a doggedly determined Leverock, as the two of them put on 37 valuable runs for the eighth wicket.

Although Marshall gave the local crowd something to shout about late on with a number of eye-catching boundaries off both seam and spin a like, once he was out, bowled attempting a rather wild looking leg side heave of Sarwan's legbreaks, it was obvious to all that Bermuda was doomed to a score well below 100.

Afterwards, skipper Smith lavished praise on his side's performance in the field, though he was quick to admit that his batsman should have applied themselves better on a pitch that never encouraged expansive stroke-play.

“Firstly I must praise my team for the way they performed in the field,” he said.

“All the bowlers did tremendously well and I must single out young Jacobi Robinson who bowled with great discipline at the top of the innings and really deserved the wicket of Lara. But batting wise, we looked to play far too many shots. Our game plan had been to get stuck in and be patient in building a total - but that certainly did not happen and of course, is disappointing.”

The team will take heart, however, from a much more disciplined approach with the ball against a far superior team, while the decision to play three spinners was undoubtedly vindicated.

But the obvious question that now begs is: why did they not consider the possibility of playing three genuine spinners earlier in the summer during the Americas Championship and the Intercontinental Cup when the pitches at the NSC were offering similar turn and bounce?

Although the selectors may well be able to make a reasoned defence of their decision, the overriding impression now is that they may well have missed a trick.