Bermuda Under-17s 206-8 Canada Under-17s 210-8 Canada's most exciting young batsman, captain Ashish Bagai, has a brand new bat of his choice to look forward when he returns home, after breaking out of a scoring slump on the final match of the tour yesterday at Southampton Oval.

Before the tour the team's Jamaican born coach, Franklyn Dennis, offered to buy any batsman who scores a century on the tour a new bat and a pair of boots for any bowler taking five wickets in a match. Bagai waited until the final stroke of the tour to claim the prize when, with the team tied, he clipped a delivery from O.J.Pitcher to deep mid-wicket for four to complete his century.

"This is an incentive for them to strive to do better,'' said Dennis, himself a former Canadian international.

More importantly Canada also secured a dramatic victory after being 130-8 in reply to the Bermuda total of 206-8. The 3-0 win over Bermuda enabled Canada to win the plaque which is to be played annually between the teams.

When Pitcher claimed the fifth and sixth wickets on the first two balls of his second over, and Kanaz Tuzo picked up two more in his first over -- including the hard-hitting Nathan Richards for 15 from three boundaries -- Bermuda must have felt victory was in the bag at 130-8.

But Bagai, with scores of 2, 36, 0 and 13 in his four previous knocks, showed why he is so highly rated, slamming 18 fours and a six in 190 minutes at the crease as he and tailender Vadesh Seepersad (33 not out) shared in an unbroken ninth wicket stand of 80 in 66 minute to win the match. Seepersad, a left-hander, hit five fours and a six as he stayed with his captain who led the way with a mature innings.

"Last night he was really ticked off with his own performances with the bat,'' said Australian born manager Steve McKay of Bagai's tour.

Bermuda set Canada the biggest total of the tour to chase, a total reached thanks to opener Landro Minors' unbeaten 87 in 195 minutes off nine fours and two sixes.

Minors and Chris Foggo put on 73 for the first wicket before Canada picked up four wickets for 13 runs in eight overs to pull themselves back in the game.

However, Minors, just 15 years old, found a willing partner in captain Stephen Outerbridge and together the left-handers added 68 for the fifth wicket with Outerbridge scoring 29 off 75 balls.

Jim West then chipped in with a valuable 18 as he and Minors then added 43 for the seventh wicket to take the total to 199.

Spinners Ajay Minhas and Gitu Hassan were the pick of the Canada bowlers, taking two for 28 and two for 27 respectively off 10 overs.

In the bowling for Bermuda, Kanaz Tuzo claimed two for 13 from three overs, O.J.Pitcher two for 34 and West two for 35.

It was a reciprical tour to the one Bermuda made to Canada last year and many of these same players can expect to see plenty of each other in the coming years. Canada will host the 2001 ICC Trophy and Dennis already admits that some members from this team -- Bagai one of them -- could be challenging for places in the senior team in the next couple of years.

"Right now our goal is 2001 and we're hoping at least four guys from the junior programme will be in the senior team,'' he said.

"Being here has been a tremendous boost to the youth, some of them are playing on turf for the first time. Almost eight of the junior players are already playing in the senior competition.'' Dennis played for Canada in the 1979 World Cup and remembers some of the Bermuda players from 20 years ago, BCBC president El James, Colin Blades, Lionel Thomas and Clarence Parfitt.

"The president, when I first saw him I recognised his face but he has put on a little weight,'' said Dennis who has been living in Canada since 1972. "I remember we had to beat Bermuda to get into the World Cup.'' Clevie Wade, who took over the coaching of the Bermuda teams in the absence of Wendell Smith who is on vacation, admits he is pleased with what he has seen of the local youngsters.

"It was a good learning experience for them,'' said the coach who was only 13 himself when he toured Canada with a junior team in the early 1970s. He realises that constant exposure is beneficial to the players' development, more so than results, though yesterday's loss would have been heartbreaking.

"We have four or five who play regularly in their Premier teams. This is a stepping stone for them and it's all about learning,'' said Wade.

"There is still some work to be done but once they stay together, give the commitment and play together more as a team, there is something to work with.'' Janeiro Tucker will receive his Cup Match MVP award at a presentation today at the BCBC office at noon.