Bermuda dominate the first day

Canada 158 for 6 (Bagai 28*, Codrington 13*, Mukudeem 3-17) v Bermuda
Scorecard

Bermuda took the honours on a shortened first day at Sunnybrook Park, restricting Canada to 158 for 6, although the untested Sunnybrook wicket may have had something to do with their bowling success. Saleem Mukudeem, the pick of the bowlers, was almost unplayable, and bowled 15 overs for just 17 runs as well as picking up three wickets. He received valuable support from Steede, who dismissed both openers on his international debut.

As with all the Intercontinental Cup games, this match has been designated first-class by the ICC. It takes place more than 50 years since the last first-class match to be played on Canadian soil, when MCC beat Canada in Toronto in 1951. Canada are without Ian Billcliff, who is unavailable for this match, and have called Kevin Sandher, a left-arm spinner, and Umar Bhatti, a left-arm medium pacer, into the team. Canada need to win this match to ensure their place in the finals of the cup, although a good performance in a draw would probably be enough to see them through.

Bermuda put Canada in after winning the toss, perhaps hoping to have a look at how the wicket will play, but Desmond Chumney and John Davison got off to a solid start, putting on 41 for the first wicket. Chumney was the more aggressive of the two, hitting four fours and a six in his 31, but Steede struck back for Bermuda, nipping out both Chumney and Davison to reduce Canada to 54 for 2.

Zubin Surkari (14), and Haninder Dhillon (15) both got starts, but struggled to score quickly against the miserly Mukudeem, and were eventually both dismissed by him. Sunil Dhaniram found run-scoring a slightly easier affair, hitting four fours in his 38-ball 27, but he also squandered a good start as Canada sank to 126 for 5. Don Maxwell didn't last long, falling to Mukudeem for 6 (143 for 6), but at the other end Ashish Bagai was intent on survival, playing very defensively for his 28 not out. Austin Codrington came in and played a short cameo before the close, swatting two fours in his unbeaten 13.

Bermuda bowled well to peg a strong Canadian team back, but they will have bat last on the unpredictable Sunnybrook pitch, and will be hoping to wrap Canada's innings up quickly today to take some pressure off their own batsmen.