ICCEurope/CricketEurope

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Tournament surprise package Jersey remain firmly on course to capture the Under 15 European Championships following their comprehensive 85 run win over Netherlands at McKane Park.

A solid batting display saw them post 173 for 7 in their 45 overs, with Luke Gallichan top scoring with 41. His innings lasted 68 balls and contained three boundaries.

Jersey were given a good start by an opening partnership of 46 between Finlay Hare (18), and Edward Fricker (37), and at 62 for 1 looked destined to post a total in excess of 200.

They were pegged back by excellent spells of bowling by Joost Kroesen (4-29), and Victor Lubbers (2-14), and at 127 for 6, the game was very much in the balance.

However the tail wagged, and Charles Fricker (23*), and Oliver Johnson (16), stayed with Gallichan to help Jersey to a defendable target.

In reply, Netherlands lost the early wicket of Rahil Ahmed for just a single, but rebuilt through Mattheus Prenen (16), and Joost Kroesen (12), to reach 36 for 1, and the game was evenly poised.

The turning point came with the run out of Kroesen by Daniel Garton, and when Victor Lubbers was dismissed straight after by the impressive Ryan Evans, the outcome of the game was never in any doubt.

Netherlands were eventually dismissed for 88 in just 27.3 overs, with Guidy Schoew (10), and Remmert Zulfiqar (14), the only other batsmen to reach double figures. Ryan Evans (4-10) now has 12 wickets in the competition, and looks a strong contender to be voted player of the tournament.

Charles and Edward Fricker, along with Alexander Cooke and Paul McCafferty, all took a wicket each as the Jersey bandwagon rolls on. A win in their final fixture with Denmark would give them the title, and on current form who would bet against them?

Hosts Scotland eased to a comfortable seven wicket win over Denmark at Largo. Chasing a moderate Danish total of just 128, the Scots took just 23.3 overs to reach their target.

Danial Chaudhry top scored with a well composed half century before being run out with just five runs needed. His knock included eight boundaries, and occupied just 62 balls. He dominated stands of 43 with Ross McLean (19), and 53 with Nicholas Farrar (18).

Denmark used no fewer than ten bowlers in an attempt to capture wickets, but only Saad Ahmad (1-26), and Mukarram Hussain (1-12) were successful.

In the Danish innings, Laraib Ahmad (25*), Osman Ali (22), and Fazan Ahmed (20), all got starts, but nobody was able to build the substantive innings required to post a more challenging total.

The Scottish bowlers all stuck to their task well, with Lyle Hill (2-12), Danial Chaudhry (2-14), George Buchanan-Smith (2-26), and Nicholas Farrar (2-29) the main wicket takers.

Ireland kept alive their outside chances of title victory with a 52 run win against a determined Guernsey side at Freuchie.

Scott Campbell, more renowned for his left arm spin than his batting prowess, top scored for the Irish with a superb 51 from 80 balls. That knock contained two fours and a towering six, and rescued his team from a precarious 116 for 6.

Ireland had lost skipper Ben Wylie to the first ball of their innings, well caught by Jason martin off Robert Woodhard. Three players then made 26 – Tuesday’s centurion, Nathan Burns, Jordan Magee and Tyrone Kane.

Campbell shared in a match winning 67 run partnership for the 7th wicket with fellow North West player Jack Glenn who hit 34 from 31 balls to get Ireland up to a final total of 187 for 9.

Benjamin Cuddihee bowled magnificently to finish with the excellent analysis of 4 for 29, and his fellow opening partner Woodhard had figures of 2 for 45. William Garnett (1-16) proved difficult to play, but the support bowlers weren’t able to back up their frontline attack, and Ireland were able to get away from them.

Guernsey’s top order batted well and they reached the solid foundation of 50 for 1 before wickets started falling regularly. Nicholas Waldron top scored with 32, and there were also useful innings from Oliver Tapp (24), Joe Alvarez (21), and Harry Player (15).

However, a late order collapse saw them falter from 112 for 5, to 135 all out with nearly 10 overs left. Definitely a winning opportunity squandered.

Cormac McLoughlin (3-10), and Tyrone Kane (3-26) were best with the ball, while the other wicket takers were Kirk Shimmins (1-9), Jack Glenn (1-23), and Robert McKinley (1-28).

The final round of fixtures tomorrow see Ireland face Scotland at Arbroath, Guernsey meet Netherlands at Strathmore, and Jersey go for tournament glory against Denmark at Forthill.