ICC Europe/CricketEurope

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All three leading sides won again on Saturday, but it took great co-operation between umpires and players to ensure that the three matches were completed despite the waves of rain which swept across Jersey during the afternoon.

Leaders Ireland maintained their unbeaten record with a 33-run victory over the hosts at Les Quennevais, but Jersey seemed to be well placed for victory at one stage before a batting collapse saw the game slip from their grasp.

They began well, too, reducing the Irish to 25 for two before Andrew Balbirnie, who made a fighting not-out 52, and James Shannon set about restoring their side’s fortunes. By the time the rain set in Ireland had reached 89 for four from 31 overs, and when it was finally possible for the match to resume with Jersey allocated 25 overs to reply, a Duckworth/Lewis calculation set them a target of 109 to win.

At 52 for two with Sam de la Haye and Tom Gibbs in and well set they seemed to be on the brink of pulling off the shock of the tournament, but then the Irish spinners took charge. Balbirnie removed De la Haye and Lee Nelson dismissed Gibbs, and Jersey slumped from 52 for two to 61 for seven.

In all, they lost eight wickets in as many overs as Balbirnie took three for 15 and Nelson three for 18, and the side was all out for a disappointing 75.

At Grainville, The Netherlands had reached 151 without loss in 26 overs when the rain drove the players from the field, with Alexei Kervezee just one run short of his third successive century.

Fortunately, this break did not last long, and after the resumption he scored the single he needed to complete a remarkable feat. Partner Stijn Allema was also able to reach his half-century, but only two overs were possible before heavy rain again intervened.

That left the Dutch on 168 for no wicket, setting Denmark a formidable target in reply. The Danish innings was interrupted several times, and eventually they were left chasing 178 to win from just 21 overs.

Hamid Shah (54 from 49 deliveries) and Lars Boldt (31) put up a spirited fight, adding 80 for the second wicket, but once they were out, both run out in an increasingly desperate search for runs, the challenge faded, no-one else reaching double figures as Tim Gruijters taking four for 20.

The match began to approach farce in the final overs as the Dutch, wholly concentrating on completing the minimum of 20 overs before the weather ended proceedings, refused catches and declined run-out opportunities rather than lose time with the fall of a wicket.

But in the end all 21 overs were bowled, and Denmark finished on 128 for nine, giving The Netherlands a 49-run margin.

Scotland beat Guernsey and the elements to record an emphatic ten-wicket win at Victoria College.
Chasing a Duckworth/Lewis adjusted target of 101 in 30 overs, Scotland made sure of the points racing to victory in just 12 overs.

Once again it was the opening pairing of Ollie Hairs and Freddie Coleman who were among the runs, scoring quickly and heavily all round the wicket.

They both benefited from several lives each, as the Guernsey fielders spilled straightforward opportunities early on. That said, however, they played some quite scintillating pulls, drives and cuts, hitting 11 fours and two sixes between them.

For once Hairs had to contend with playing second fiddle to his opening partner. Coleman’s unbeaten 56 came from 46 deliveries, and included 8 fours and one six, while Hairs 38 not out was from 26 balls – 3 fours and 1 six.

Earlier Guernsey reached 94 for 6 in 30 overs, having been 33 for 4 at one point.

There were two batting performances of note, with wicket-keeper Tom Kimber top scoring with 34 from 50 balls. He struck 4 fours, being particularly strong on the pull shot.

Skipper Jon Clark chipped in with 31, made from 55 deliveries with 5 fours, before he fell victim to a good catch by wicket-keeper Marc Petrie off the bowling of Calvin Burnett.

Matthew Parker (2-5) again impressed in his fiery opening spell, while Willie Rowan’s figures (1-24) , could have been even better, suffering from some bad luck and missed chances.

There was a wicket apiece for Paddy Sadler, Keith Morton, and Calvin Burnett, before persistent rain curtailed the Guernsey innings at the 30-over mark.