Rawlins and the Rain — Bermuda Seek Dominance as the North America Cup Enters Its Final League Day
The North America Cup has been shaped as much by weather as by cricket — the opening two matches were washed out entirely, compressing the round-robin into a frantic final stretch. Bermuda, led by the irresistible Delray Rawlins (1,359 T20I runs, 39 wickets, a career-best 121 vs Brazil), are the class of the tournament. The Bahamas, captained by Turan Brown with Marc Taylor as the key performer (879 T20I runs, 24 wickets), trail 0-4 in head-to-head T20Is. The skies over George Town remain threatening.
The Context — A Tournament Compressed by Weather
The North America Cup was supposed to be a measured round-robin: six league matches across five days, then a qualifier and a final. Instead, heavy rain washed out the opening two fixtures on September 20 and 21, forcing the remaining matches into a compressed schedule. What should have been a steady build has become a sprint, and the 6th Match between Bahamas and Bermuda arrives on the final league day with tournament positions potentially still to be decided.
The triangular format — Cayman Islands, Bahamas, Bermuda, each pair meeting twice — means every result carries amplified significance. At the Jimmy Powell Oval in George Town, where the average first-innings T20I score sits around 128–131 and teams bowling first have a slight historical advantage, conditions reward tight bowling and smart batting rather than boundary-hitting pyrotechnics.
Key Numbers
| Head-to-head | Bermuda lead 4-0 in completed T20Is vs Bahamas. No Bahamas win in history. Their June 2026 meeting was also abandoned (rain) |
| Bermuda | Delray Rawlins: 1,359 T20I runs (avg 41.18, 10 fifties, 1 century — 121 vs Brazil), 39 wkts (avg 20.46). Kamau Leverock: 842 runs (avg 33.68, 1 century), 25 wkts. June qualifier: won 3/3, NRR +7.776. Beat Brazil by 146 runs, Panama by 10 wkts, Belize by 10 wkts (DLS) |
| Bahamas | Marc Taylor: 879 T20I runs (avg 23.13, 7 fifties), 24 wkts. Festus Benn: 33 T20I wkts (best 3/9). Overall T20I record: 11 wins from 40 matches. Lost to Panama in June qualifier. Coach: Andy Moles |
| Venue | Jimmy Powell Oval, George Town (West Bay). Avg 1st-innings T20I score: 128–131. Bowling first wins 15 of 27 T20s at this ground. September is peak hurricane season — rain has already washed out 2 of 6 scheduled matches |
The Verdict
Bermuda are the clear favourites. Delray Rawlins alone — with his county cricket pedigree at Sussex, his ability to bat in the top order and bowl left-arm spin — outperforms most of the Bahamas squad on paper. Kamau Leverock's return from international retirement adds batting firepower and medium-pace bowling, while Derrick Brangman's 7 wickets in the June qualifier give the bowling attack depth.
The Bahamas' best hope rests on Marc Taylor producing a match-winning all-round performance — he has the ability, with 7 T20I fifties and 24 wickets, to compete with anyone at this level. Festus Benn's 33 career wickets make him a threat with the new ball. But the 0-4 head-to-head, the quality gap between the squads, and Bermuda's dominant recent form make an upset unlikely.
The weather, as it has been throughout this tournament, remains the wildcard. Another washout would be a frustrating footnote, but if play proceeds, Bermuda are expected to extend their perfect record against the Bahamas to 5-0.