Bermuda's Dennis Archer is caught by Jamaica's wicketkeeper Matthew Sinclair off the bowling of Courtney Walsh during yesterday's Red Stripe Bowl match at Alpart Sports Club. Jamaica won by 11 runs. ­Junior Dowie

FAVOURITES JAMAICA fought hard to stave off a gallant effort from minnows Bermuda, as they struggled in recording an 11-run victory in their rain-hit Red Stripe Bowl Zone A opener at Alpart Sports Club yesterday.

Scores: Jamaica 118 for six off 41 overs (Robert Samuels 28, Ricardo Powell 16, Christopher Gayle 15; Peter Philpott three for 33, Richard Basden two for 20). Bermuda, set a revised target of 106 off 25 overs, made 95 for eight wickets (Dexter Smith 28 and Charlie Marshall 25; Christopher Gayle four for 24).

Bermuda won the toss and asked Jamaica to bat on a soft pitch and under difficult conditions, the locals struggled all the way. Openers Christopher Gayle and Leon Garrick put on 31 for the first wicket before Gayle attempted to hit Basden over midwicket, but only succeeded in hitting the ball straight to Dexter Smith.

Four runs later Garrick lost his wicket when he edged a Basden delivery and was caught behind by wicketkeeper Kwame Tucker for 11.

Robert Samuels, who came in at the fall of Garrick's wicket, joined Wavell Hinds and the two tried to resurrect Jamaica's innings, adding 25 for the third wicket. But Hinds, who open his account with a big six off Philpott, tried to repeat the shot off the same bowler and was caught by Albert Steele on the deep mid-wicket boundary for 14 at 60 for three.

Samuels, who batted with some determination, was joined by the attacking Ricardo Powell and the two added 34 before Powell attempted to hit Clarke Trott over long on and was taken by Dennis Archer on the boundary for 16 at 94 for four.

A steady shower stopped play at 12:30 p.m. After a three-hour delay and with more rain threatening, umpires Norman Malcolm and Dalton Holder spoke with both captains and told them that they were of the impression that the ground was not suitable for further play.

However, Walsh and Charlie Marshall (Bermuda's captain), rather than accepting a point each, said they wanted to continue to play. Under the new Duckworth/Lewis method, a revised target of 106 off 25 overs was set for Bermuda to achieve victory.

Bermuda, however, did not start well, losing their first wicket with only four runs on the board when Archer nicked a delivery from skipper Courtney Walsh and was taken behind by Matthew Sinclair for nought in the second over.

After four overs of pace, Walsh replaced Franklyn Rose with Christopher Gayle from the north and he proved to be a handful. After starting tentatively, the lanky off-spinner proceeded to rip through the Bermuda batting grabbing three quick wickets (two in his fourth over and one in his fifth) to finish with match figures of four for 24. Only opener Dexter Smith (28) and captain Charlie Marshall (25) made any score of significance.

Meanwhile, the competition continues today with Guyana and the Windward Islands bowing into action in a contest at the same venue, which is slated to begin at 9:30 a.m.

Jamaica's innings L.Garrick c wkp Tucker b Basden 11
C.Gayle c Smith b Basden 15
W.Hinds c Durham b Philpott 14
R.Samuels c Archer b Philpott 28
R.Powell c Archer b Trott 16
L.Williams not out 14
N.Perry c & b Philpott 0
M.Sinclair not out 5
Extras (b1, w12, nb2) 15
Total (for 6 wickets, 41 overs) 118
Fall: 1-31, 2-35, 3-60, 4-96, 5-97, 6-97.
Bowling: Bascombe 6-0-9-0 (w1), Trott 10-1-32-1 (w6,nb1),
Archer 6-2-23-0 (w5,nb1), Basden 10-1-20-2, Philpott 9-1-33-3.
Bermuda's innings D.Smith c Williams b Perry 28
D.Archer c wkp Sinclair b Walsh 0
A.Steede c Hinds b Gayle 12
C.Marshall b Gayle 25, I.Romaine b Gayle 0
R.Basden not out 11, P.Philpott b Gayle 1
C.Trott run out 7, K.Tucker run out 2
Extras (lb3, w4, nb2) 9
Total (for 8 wickets, 25 overs) 95
Fall: 1-4, 2-21, 3-71, 4-72, 5-73, 6-80, 7-92, 8-95.
Bowling: Rose 5-1-10-0 (w3, nb1), Walsh 5-1-9-1, Gayle 5-0-24-4 (w1, nb1),
Williams 5-0-23-0, Perry 5-0-26-1.
Result: Jamaica won by 11 runs.
Points: Jamaica 2, Bermuda 0.
(NB: Bermuda were set a revised target of 106 in 25 overs).