of the ICC Trophy Tournament with a commanding eight-wicket win over Canada at Simba Union yesterday.

Anthony Edwards, Bruce Perinchief and Noel Gibbons led the way with the ball, then skipper Albert Steede and the prolific Dexter Smith took Canada out of the game with an opening partnership of 90.

Steede made 48 and Smith 44 before turning it over to Clay Smith (21 not out) and Charlie Marshall (22 not out), who put Bermuda within one win of a place in the semifinals.

"This is just another good performance for Bermuda,'' said an ecstatic Steede. "The bowlers did their job and the fielders supported them. Then, Dexter Smith and myself gave the team our best start of the tournament and from there we were always going to be winners.

"Still, we want to take one game at a time and our next step is Ireland.

(Today's) match was very important for us because now we only have to win once more to reach the semifinals.'' Ireland will go into tomorrow's match against Bermuda in a do-or-die situation after a 59-run loss to United Arab Emirates yesterday.

The UAE top group E because of a superior run rate of 4.94 to Bermuda's 4.06, which includes all previous matches.

In group F, Holland beat Bangladesh by 46 runs and Kenya romped over Hong Kong by eight wickets.

So confident of Bermuda's ability to chase runs here, Steede sent Canada in after winning the toss. At first it looked an unwise decision as hard-hitting left-hander Ingleton Liburd and Martin Prashad scored 22 in the first five overs.

Liburd, in particular, was harsh on anything over-pitched, with his first three scoring strokes being four, three, four.

But in the sixth over, Edwards struck with a leg-cutter that knocked back Prashad's off stump with the score 23. Prashad had made six.

Edwards was at it again four overs later, though it took a rash cut shot from Nigel Isaacs (nought), to reduce Canada to 27 for two.

Then, at perhaps the most crucial period, Edwards contributed in the same over without actually taking a wicket.

A short-pitched delivery hit new batsman Paul Prashad on the left forearm and he eventually retired hurt with what was later found to be a hairline fracture. Prashad had been Canada's best batsman to date and had yet to score before the injury.

Canada's innings appeared to now depend on Liburd, but he became more cautious with Gibbons and Clevie Wade bowling tidily in the middle session.

Captain Danny Singh (12) looked good until driving upishly against Gibbons to cover where Steede took the catch in his mid-section.

Singh's dismissal made the total 55 for three, but Bermuda did not get into the driver's seat until Liburd became the next wicket to fall at 79.

Perinchief, who struggled somewhat with hamstring problems in both legs, found a leading edge from Liburd's bat and took a brilliant return catch, diving forward with his left hand outstretched.

That catch, it seemed, made all the difference for Bermuda as Liburd, who made 42, was the only player for Canada who batted with confidence. He hit four fours from 83 balls in 103 minutes.

"I am going to be all right,'' said Perinchief of his hamstring problems. "I will be seeing the physio tonight to have some work done on my legs and I plan to be ready for Ireland.'' Shantha Jayasekera and Tony Gardner added 39 for the fifth wicket with the former having the benefit of being dropped twice, first by Terry Burgess on the long-on boundary off Perinchief and then by Steede at mid-off against Gibbons.

But two balls after the second transgression, Jayasekera's luck ran out as Arnold Manders held a fine catch at short mid-wicket. Jayasekera had made 39 from 54 balls and hit five fours.

T.Gardner (17) was left to anchor the remainder of Canada's innings from 118 for five with 16 overs left as word arrived that Paul Prashad definitely would take no further part in the match.

However, he soon lost Derick Etwaroo who was bowled without scoring by Gibbons and then Perinchief bowled Danny Ramnarais around his legs for five to make the score 129 for seven.

Gardner became Gibbons' fourth victim, out lbw, and after a brief flourish during which the matches only two sixes were hit, Dexter Smith ran out last man Davis Joseph for 10.

Gibbons, who would later be named man of the match, finished with figures of four for 31 from 9.2 overs while Edwards claimed two for 11 from six and Perinchief two for 36 from 10.

Bermuda's response was immediate with Smith and Steede putting on 44 in the seven overs before lunch. Fast bowler Joseph opened with some hostility but the in-form Smith took nine off his first over after getting an early sniff from a first-ball bouncer.

Quick running between the wicket was a feature of the opening stand and also brought forth the shortcomings of Canada's out-cricket as they soon became to lose life in the field.

The openers were cruising along at 90 without loss in the 20th over before Smith played around a full-length delivery from medium-pacer Bhawan Singh and was bowled. He hit four fours while facing 69 balls in 59 minutes.

From that point, Bermuda were never in danger of losing. It was only a matter of how much they would win by.

Steede looked set for his first ICC half-century until the recalled Joseph struck in his third over with a lightning-fast yorker that unsettled the Bermuda's skipper's leg-stump. Steede hit four fours in 93 minutes from 75 balls.

Clay Smith and Marshall battled for the next 37 minutes in the face of Joseph's pace and the variety of spin and medium pace before bringing up the winning runs.

And it was done in style with Smith hitting three consecutive fours off Gardner to secure victory and send Bermuda into tomorrow's match against Ireland in an upbeat mood.

MAN OF THE MATCH -- Noel Gibbons, above, ledbowling attack with Anthony Edwards and Bruce Perinchief.