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BERMUDA | RSS PODCAST

Tucker leads assault in national team warm-up

Bermuda's national cricket team, warming up for the Red Stripe Bowl in Jamaica later this month, coasted to a 95-run victory over top Commercial League side Hemisphere Leg Trappers in a 50-overs challenge match at Sea Breeze Oval on Sunday.

But while Bermuda officials were generally satisfied with the batting -- highlighted by Kwame Tucker's aggressive 89, skipper Charlie Marshall's fluent 45 and 41 from hard-running Albert Steede before he retired because of another engagement in a total of 247 for nine -- they were disappointed by some ragged outcricket against less illustrious but spirited opponents.

Leg Trappers, who won both the league and knockout this season, were boosted by the inclusion of three Commercial guest players as well as veteran Bailey's Bay all-rounder Noel Gibbons and were allowed to field with 12 men while Bay's Dennis Pilgrim, who substituted for Steede, was permitted to bowl.

Forties opening bowler Brian Holdipp jolted Bermuda by snapping up three early wickets, removing Dexter Smith, who played on for one, with his first ball and having Dennis Archer (14) and Irving Romaine (five) both caught from loose shots. Holdipp finished with three for 28 from five overs.

But Steede and Tucker regained control, teaming up to lift the total to 107 from 17 overs before Steede, who had just survived a confident appeal for a catch behind off Ian Smith -- playing in only his second game of the season -- retired.

Skipper Marshall and Tucker kept the scoring rate at around six runs an over with an enterprising partnership of 103 to raise the total to 210 when Tucker holed out to Smith on the long-on boundary off the bowling of Gordon Campbell, having smashed five sixes and seven fours in his 93-minute knock.

Tucker's dismissal triggered a late-order collapse which saw five more wickets tumble for the addition of 37 runs as Bermuda's innings fizzled out in the 43rd over.

Marshall fell victim to a rare mode of dismissal, being given out obstructing the field by umpire Roger Dill when he blocked bowler Blake West in attempting to regain his ground after backing up too far. Teenager Stephen Outerbridge was then run out in the same over for seven.

Graham Strange (two for 14) bowled Clarkie Trott for 12, had Hasan Durham caught behind for one and West had David Gibbs well caught by skipper James Swan at mid-off for one.

Gibbs, a 32-year-old fast bowler who has gained a shock call-up to the Bermuda team after switching from Commercial League side Jamaican Association to Somerset this season, removed both Leg Trappers openers Gary Knight (three) and Jeremy Franklin (nine) in an impressive six-over first spell.

Although Gibbs later returned to claim Campbell's wicket with his first ball which kept low, finishing with three for 31, his second spell of four overs was erratic as he was called for 11 wides.

Gibbons, who topscored with 45, and Strange defied the Bermuda attack with a patient stand of 66 before Gibbons' 85-minute stay was ended when he miscued a pull and was caught and bowled by slow bowler Outerbridge, having hit him for six in the same over. Gibbons had been given a let-off on 19 when he was put down at mid-on by Aaron Adams.

Strange, who batted for 104 minutes for his 27 after being struck a painful blow on his big toe by Trott, followed Campbell back to the pavilion when he drove Durham (two for 35) to mid-off and the slow left-arm bowler quickly followed up by having Smith stumped.

Pilgrim chipped in with the wicket of Swan, West was run out for 11 and Outerbridge added two more wickets to finish with three for 39 as Leg Trappers were finally dismissed in 49 overs for 152 -- their 95-run defeat being the exact margin of victory when they crushed Watford Sports Club on the same ground in last month's knockout final.

Top bat: Jamaica-bound Kwame Tucker hit Bermuda's high score of 89 in a convincing victory over Commercial League champions Hemisphere Leg Trappers on Sunday.