ST. JOHN'S, Antigua (CANA) -- Bermuda opened their Red Stripe Bowl campaign with a five-wicket defeat by the Leewards Islands at the Antigua Recreation Grounds yesterday.

Despite a superb half century by Janeiro Tucker, the Island team were dismissed for a modest 129 off 46 overs and the Leewards replied with 133 for five off 39.2 overs.

The home side were eased to their win by Dave Joseph who top-scored with 36 before he was fifth out with one more run needed, and an unbeaten 30 by Keith Arthurton.

Opener Wilden Cornwall made 21 before he became one of two wickets to fall with the score on 53, the other being Sylvester Joseph who made 13.

Slow left-armer Hassan Durham, who surprisingly opened the attack with medium pacer Herbie Bascome, claimed two for 23 from his 10 overs.

Earlier, the Leewards seam attack, led by a four-wicket haul by fast bowler Goldwin Prince, undermined Bermuda for 129 after they were sent into bat.

The strongly-built Prince fired out his victims to send Bermuda tumbling to 31 for five after 15 overs, but a sixth-wicket stand of 63 by Janeiro Tucker and Wendell White somewhat repaired the early damage. White chipped in with 14.

Prince of Antigua finished with four for 22 off 10 overs and he was ably supported by Kerey Jeremy who bagged three for 27 off nine overs.

Prince trapped Jermaine Warner (0) and Clay Smith (4) leg before wicket before removing Charles Marshall (10) and Richard Basden (0) to catches close to the wicket.

Jeremy had made the initial breakthrough when he had opener Dennis Archer lbw for no score with the last delivery of his nine-ball first over.

But Tucker, who counter-attacked against the change bowlers, saved the Bermudians from total embarrassment on a true-pace pitch.

He reached his half-century with a dab for four before he was bowled by Jeremy for 57 to be eighth out at 112. His knock came off 88 balls and contained six fours and two sixes.

White's contribution of 14 was Bermuda's next highest individual score.

Bermuda will look for their first ever victory in the competition today when they take on the Cayman Islands.

One of the West Indies' biggest cricket enthusiasts was charged yesterday with stealing $105,000 in cricket memorabilia.

Investment banker and cricket author Vijay Priyadarsan Kumar, 41, flew from his home in New York City to appear in a London court.

SCOREBOARD LEEWARDS v BERMUDA Bermuda D.Archer lbw b Jeremy 0 J.Warner lbw b Prince 0 C.Smith lbw b Prince 4 C.Marshall c Jeremy b Prince 10 J.Tucker b Jeremy 57 R.Basden c wk Jacobs b Prince 0 W.White c wk Jacobs b Lake 14 K.Tucker c wk Jacobs b Arthurton 12 H.Durham run out (S.Joseph) 5 D.Pilgrim not out 11 H.Bascombe b Jeremy 0 Extras (b1, lb2, nb2, w11): 16 Total (46 overs): 129 Fall of wickets: 1-3, 2-3, 3-16, 4-26, 5-31, 6-94, 7-111, 8-112, 9-128.

Bowling: K.Jeremy 9-0-27-3 (w7), G. Prince 10-3-22-4, C.Tuckett 5-0-23-0 (nb1, w2), W.Cornwall 2-1-5-0, A. Lake 10-2-25-1 (nb1, w2), K.Arthurton 10-1-24-1.

Leewards W.Cornwall b Durham 21 S.Williams c Bascombe b Durham 14 S.Joseph c Warner b J.Tucker 13 D.Joseph c Marshall b Pilgrim 36 R.Morton st K.Tucker b Archer 11 K.Arthurton not out 30 R.Jacobs not out 0 Extras: (b1, lb2, nb1, w4) 8 Total for five wickets (39.2 overs): 133 Fall of wickets: 1-28, 2-53, 3-53, 4-74, 5-129.

Bowling: H.Bascombe 2-0-18-0 (w1), H. Durham 10-2-23-2, W.White 4-0-16-0 (w3), J.Tucker 10-2-33-1, D.Archer 5-1-14-1, R.Basden 4.2-0-17-0 (nb1), D.Pilgrim 4-1-9-1.

Janeiro Tucker: top scored for Bermuda with 57.