This was the crucial match of the quarter finals stage. Having lost to UAE Ireland could still qualify for the semi-finals if they could beat Bermuda and Canada in the two remaining matches. Alas, this match proved to be Ireland's worst display in the Tournament. Luck also turned against them, as it did throughout. The toss was lost and Ireland were put in on a pitch which still had a touch of green following rain in the night. It had dried out when Bermuda batted. There was also one, and perhaps two, umpiring decisions which were dubious.

Nelson came back for P McCrum and the team was at full strength, those left out being Cohen, P McCrum, Millar and Doak. Bermuda had spent £200,000 preparing their team and had beaten Canada by 8 wickets in the first quarter-finals match. They knew they would go through if they beat Ireland. Ultimately it was Bermuda who lost out on the World Cup proper. Kenya beat them in the semi-final and they lost to Holland in the crucial third place match.

Benson attacked from the start and hit a four and a six off successive balls from Burgess in the 5th over. He was out in the 7th over failing to go through with a drive. His shot was too extravagant on a slow pitch and he was caught at mid-off. 25-1-18. In the 10th over Graham chased an out swinger from Edwards and was caught at the wicket. 41-2-5. Wade and Gibbons, both medium paced, replaced Burgess and Edwards and 50 was up in 11.3 overs. Without addition Rea (13) was lbw on the front foot to Wade. Lewis missed a Gibbons full toss at 65 and was lbw.

The 5th bowler, Perinchief, slow left arm, came on for the 22nd over and in it had Dunlop caught at short third man. There was really no return from 76 for 5 and the batting had been careless. Harrison, McCrum, Jackson and Moore all did their best. To reach 202 was quite a good recovery but was at least 50 short of a pressure total. Harrison and McCrum put up 100 in 30.2 overs. At the 34th over drinks interval it was 119 for 5. As had become usual the interval brought a wicket. Edwards returned for the 35th over and had Harrison lbw (he snicked it!) for 36 well made runs off 64 balls. 119 for 6. Jackson and McCrum added 39 for the 7th wicket but the pace was not really quick enough even though this 39 came in 7 overs. Jackson (22) was bowled swinging at Gibbons in the 42nd over. 158 for 7. McCrum was now 29. With Moore 41 were put on in 5 overs. 11 were scored off the 47th over from Burgess. In it McCrum went to his 50 but was bowled swinging wildly off its last ball. 199-8-54. McCrum faced 79 balls and hit 3 fours of 10 struck in the irmings. His innings made the partial recovery possible. Nelson was bowled in the next over. With still 8 balls to go Moore (16) was run out by a direct throw from long-on.

All 5 Bermuda bowlers took at least one wicket. Gibbons with 3 for 33 had the best figures. Only opening bowler Burgess (2 for 60 in 9.4 overs) was expensive. It was known that Bermuda's strength lay in batting and that 250 was a minimum target. Nelson and Harrison opened the bowling to D. Smith and Bermuda's Captain and sheet anchor, A Steede. In Harrison's 2nd over, at 7, Smith (2) lofted to Rea at long-off who dropped it.

Only 18 were scored in 10 overs. Then Nelson bowled Smith (9) at 19 in 11th over. By the drinks break (17 overs) with Bermuda's best batsman in, the score was 44 for 1. Hoey conceded 17 runs in 3 overs. C. McCrum and Dunlop could not stem the pace. 50 had came up in 18.4 overs. However in his 3rd over, the 26th, Dunlop bowled the patient Steede. 88-2-26. 100 was up in 21.1 overs after Marshall had joined C Smith. Marshall was given a life in Dunlop's next over, the 28th. Lewis dropped a hard hit at short mid-wicket at 104.

This pair now increased the pace. The bowlers were switched but 150 came in 35 overs. Nelson returned and had C Smith caught at deep long-on in the 37th over. 167 for 3. Smith had made 89 out of 148 while he was in and had put on 79 with Marshall in only 11 overs. Smith faced 78 balls and hit two sixes and 11 fours.

The remaining 36 runs proved easy for Marshall and Manders and the win came in 45.5 overs. Marshall's 62* came in 63 balls with a six and 11 fours. In all Bermuda struck 3 sixes and 26 fours - well over half the runs in boundaries.

Of the Irish bowlers only Nelson (2 for 38) and Harrison (0 for 19) were inexpensive.