ICC/CricketEurope

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There were contrasting fortunes in the two matches in Group A, with France registering the highest score of the day in beating hosts Germany, while the widely-favoured Isle of Man side recording the lowest, collapsing dramatically to 52 all out against Italy and losing by ten wickets.

Two factors contributed largely to France’s total: skipper Usman Khan made a solid 72, coming in at 22 for one and departing only when the score had reached 180 for five, and the German bowlers conceded an alarming number of wides, bowling 40 of them – and wides count as two runs in this tournament!

Wicketkeeper William Smati was the next highest scorer with 19, while Mohammad Hayat was the most effective of the German bowlers with two for 48.

Alexander Frey and Konrad Fuchs gave Germany a steady start with an opening stand of 58, but it took them more than 15 overs to do it, and once they were dismissed the pressure began to build.

Steven Richards and captain Yannik Bischoff contributed another half-century partnership for the fourth wicket, but the required rate was steadily climbing, and Sachinta Liyanaarachchi took full advantage of some rash cricket under pressure from the German middle order, taking four for 21.

Usman Khan weighed in with three for 12, and despite some spirited resistance from Mansor Murbarik with a 22-ball 21, the innings closed 40 runs short.

The Isle of Man may have been favourites to win their encounter with Italy at Bochum, but things went wrong for them almost from the moment they won the toss and elected to bat in conditions which might reasonably have been called bowler-friendly.

Brothers Max and Alex Stokoe started steadily enough, but the score had reached only 7 when Roshendra Abeywickrama brought about a startling transformation: after Max Stokoe played forward too far from his body and got a thick edge to Abdur Rahman Bhouyan at point, Manx captain Luke Lacey hit a return catch off the next ball, and then Abeywickrama produced a perfect slanted delivery that took out Richard Foden’s leg stump.

The Italians celebrated wildly as Abeywickrama became the first bowler to produce a hat-trick on this ground.

Things soon got worse as Dylan Sarnelli took two quick wickets leaving Isle of Man on 10 for 5.

Any chance of a recovery was gone when Alex Stokoe was trapped lbw by Sarnelli, and the score subsided to 14 for seven. Total disaster was, however, averted by an eighth-wicket partnership between Jack Rowlands and Zaeem Jafri, taking advantage of the Italian change bowling, which got the score up to 42.

But then Abeywickrama returned and bowled Jafri wíth his first ball. The Isle of Man were finally all out for 52, leaving Rowlands not out on 13 – the only batsman to reach double figures. Extras, on 27, constituted more than half the Manx total.

When Italy batted the conditions were more pleasant and though the Isle of Man tried hard they could not remove either of the Italian openers, Ali Shakil and Abeywickrama. The Italians played sensibly, taking no risks in their strokeplay and waiting for the wides tally to help them along. Italy passed the Isle of Man score after 15.4 overs with the help of a wide!

Isle of Man coach Garreth Dawson said his side certainly had an off-day playing rash strokes, but he was confident they would shake off this defeat before the next match.

The day ended with the presentation of the Man of the Match award to Italy's Abeywickrama, a decision no one would disagree with.