Bermuda responded emphatically to their opening game defeat against Canada at the North America Cup, securing a commanding victory over the host nation, Cayman Islands, at the Jimmy Powell Cricket Oval.
Having suffered a setback in their first match, Bermuda were determined to get their campaign back on track. Winning the toss, captain Terryn Fray opted to bat first, and his decision proved fruitful as Bermuda posted a competitive total of 137 for 5 in their 20 overs.
Fray himself led the way with a well-paced innings of 38 runs off 40 balls, including two boundaries. Delray Rawlins provided valuable impetus with a quickfire 27 off just 20 deliveries, also finding the boundary twice. The Cayman Islands bowlers struggled to contain the Bermudian batsmen, with Romario Edwards being the pick of their attack, taking two wickets for 24 runs in his four overs.
Chasing 138 for victory, the Cayman Islands made a promising start, reaching 75 for 1 after 12 overs. However, just as they looked to be building a strong platform, Bermuda's bowling attack turned the game on its head. In a remarkable display of control and accuracy, the Bermudian bowlers restricted the hosts to just 14 runs in the subsequent 30 balls, while crucially taking seven wickets.
Jermaine Baker provided the main resistance for the Cayman Islands, top-scoring with a resilient 54. However, he found little support as Bermuda's bowlers tightened their grip. Dominic Sabir was the standout performer with the ball, claiming an impressive three wickets for just 14 runs in his three overs. Kevon Fubler also continued his excellent form from the warm-up matches, bagging three wickets for 17 runs in his four-over spell.
Sabir's game-changing spell earned him the well-deserved Man of the Match award as Bermuda secured a crucial victory. This performance demonstrates Bermuda's strength in their bowling attack and their ability to bounce back strongly after a disappointing start to the tournament. They will now look to build on this momentum in their remaining North America Cup fixtures.
Bermuda’s Inning
..20 (16) Alex Dore LBW Adrian Wright ..38 (40) Terryn Fray c Demar Johnson b Conroy Wright ..15 (18) Jarryd Richardson c Demar Johnson b Alistair I ..27 (20) Delray Rawlins c Davion Codner b Romario Edwards ..19 (12) Dominic Sabir Not Out ..13 (14) Allan Douglas b Romario Edwards ..05 Extras (2lb-3w) 137 Total for 5 wickets after 20 overs
Fall of Wickets: 1 -42 (Dore), 2 -65 (Richardson), 3 -99 (Fray), 4 -110 (Rawlins), 5 -137 (Douglas)
Cayman Islands Bowlers
4.0-0-32-1 Conroy Wright 4.0-0-24-2 Romario Edwards 2.0-0-20-0 Demar Johnson 4.0-0-21-1 Adrian Wright 4.0-0-19-1 Alistair Ifill 2.0-0-19-0 Davion Codner
Cayman Islands Inning
..54 (51) Jermaine Baker c Allan Douglas b Dominic Sabir ..01 (07) Sacha De Alwis c Delray Rawlins b Allan Douglas ..17 (23) Akshay Naidoo c Dominic Sabir b Kevon Fubler ..02 (03) Ramon Sealy b Dominic Sabir ..00 (03) Demar Johnson b Kevon Fubler ..06 (06) Sam Foster LBW Dominic Sabir ..00 (01) Romario Edwards c Terryn Fray b Kevon Fubler ..21 (20) Conroy Wright Not Out ..01 (02) Davion Codner b Derrick Brangman ..02 (04) Alistair Ifill Not Out ..03 Extras (1lb-2w) 107 Total for 8 wickets after 20 overs
Fall of Wickets: 1 -14 (De Alwis), 2 -75 (Baker), 3 -77 (Sealy), 4 -77 (Naidoo), 5 -78 (Johnson), 6 -78 (Edwards), 7 -84 (Foster), 8 -89 (Codner)
