Adrian Robson, Bermuda Royal Gazette

A toothless, albeit depleted, bowling attack cost Bermuda dearly in their opening ICC Trophy Ireland 2005 match against Ireland.

The failure to include in their travelling party England-based teenage pace bowler Stefan Kelly, who snapped up five for 24 off just 4.1 overs in a warm-up match against Namibia at Hastings last week, and the absence of key paceman Kevin Hurdle, who suffered a knee injury prior to the team leaving Bermuda, left the side without two of its best strike bowlers.

With the normally reliable larger-than-life Dwayne Leverock struggling with line and length - he conceded 58 runs in seven overs - there was little to trouble Ireland's dangerman Ed Joyce as he coasted to a chanceless century.

In reply, Bermuda enjoyed the consolation of getting off to their best start in any international this year, the new pairing of 22-year-old OJ Pitcher and 20-year-old Delyone Borden, the two youngest players in the squad, putting on 48 for the first wicket.

But the target was always too tall an order, particularly after a hamstring injury forced free-scoring skipper Clay Smith to retire in the 34th over, having made 24.