Lame Bermuda under fire

While the Stanford 20/20 continues to roll merrily along, Bermuda have returned home with their tails between their legs after a humiliating nine-wicket defeat against Jamaica.

Gus Logie, the Bermuda coach, initially declined to answer questions but he later spoke candidly. "Let's start off by saying that we were playing against a very, very good Jamaican side with a lot of Test players in it," he said. "But we didn't execute the way we should have and it is very disappointing for us to lose like that. The players are capable of a lot more and let themselves down badly.

"There has to be a quantum leap in improvement. We got a lesson from a very good team but it showed the gap between some of the best players in the world and ourselves. And it reinforced what I have said all along, which is that without the time to work with the team, it is going to be hard to make the improvements we need.

"I was impressed by the youngsters and the way they played. They did the right sort of things, rotated the players and did the things we talked about. They were never going to provide the big hits and the fast runs but they showed promise. It was a shame they were let down by their senior colleagues."

Perhaps the most stinging condemnation came with post-match jibes about the fitness of the side, and the size of some players was noted by TV commentators. "We can't lock the guys down for weeks and tell them what to do, and when and what to eat," Logie shrugged. "We are working with the nutritionists and the players have to take the responsibility to look after themselves and work on their fitness. That is not something we can do for them.

"When I took over this team, I saw the size of the players and that is something we have to work with. I do not expect these players to shrink overnight and be able to run like gazelles but we have to make the most of what we have. If our mobility isn't going to be superb then we have to look at ways round that, like the Indians have had to do in the past. You then have to look at technique and have to look at better awareness in the field."

Bermuda's public expect more in the light of the government's $11 million investment in the side ahead of the World Cup. But performances have continued to disappoint and the pressure is starting to mount on players and backroom staff.