ICC Europe/CricketEurope

---

If hosts Belgium had been a trifle fortunate to hold on and defeat France on the Under 19 Division 2 tournament’s opening day, on the second their luck ran out as Israel squeezed a thrilling victory by just one wicket.

Since both sides had won their opening matches there was an air of expectancy around the meeting, all the more so since encounters between these teams have often produced exciting finishes in the past. Tuesday’s match certainly lived up to expectations, with a tense conclusion to a match that swayed back and forth, in the end giving Israel a deserved win.

Belgium won the toss and decided to bat on Mechelen’s slow pitch, which gives the bowlers the chance to get a ball to rise or keep low. The hosts, however, didn’t get the good start they had hoped for. Nirvam Shah was caught off a full toss and Shalin Shah was soon trapped by Shifron Waskar's outswingers.

It was left to Jamie Farmiloe and Sebastian Shukla to build more of a base. Farmiloe was going well, but was unfortunately run out by a direct hit for 38 leaving the Belgians on 91 for four.

A middle order collapse followed leaving it to Akshat Sanghvi’s hard hitting to give the Belgian total a bit of respectability of 149, but the Belgians had only used 38.5 overs.

As a result Israel had to face 25 minutes before the lunch interval, and this alone levied pressure on the batsmen. It was not helpful to the Israeli cause that Korman tried to run a second run that wasn’t there and Israel lunched on 21 for 1.

After the interval Waskar was soon bowled, but Micky Cohen held the innings together and Israel were sailing towards the target at 89 for three. Cohen was then caught off a mishit and although Israel were still strongly placed at 106 for four Sanghvi broke through again and removed captain Safania Nagavkar.

This gave new hope to the Belgians, whose heads were beginning to go down after several dropped catches. The loss of Dokarker to a good catch by Farmiloe at square-leg must have shaken the Israeli batsmen’s resolve, as that signalled a collapse.

Only yesterday’s centurion, Gabby Schachat, stood his ground as wickets fell around him, and suddenly Israel were 128 for nine. The pressure was on, and in strode last man Sagie Razpurker.

Schachat had to shield him from the bowling. Belgium were scenting victory, but then disaster struck as Shalin Shah gave away 10 wides from two leg side deliveries in the same over. Suddenly Israel were 143 for nine; Razpurker kept the ball out and Schachat could scramble the winning runs.

It was close and anyone would say the Belgian dropping of catches cost them the match. But one has to say luck was involved, and that fell more to the Israelis.

In Wilrijk, France again put up a spirited display, but they could not prevent the Isle of Man from recording their second consecutive victory, and themselves remain without a win.

The basis of the Manxmen’s total of 231 for seven was a fine 136-run stand for the second wicket between Jack Rowlands and Alex Stokoe, the latter making 52 before he was caught behind off Jon Houghton.

Rowlands went on to reach 92, made from 142 deliveries with twelve boundaries, but then he was bowled by Robin Murphy, falling just short of what would have been a well-deserved century.

The Manx innings lost momentum in the closing stages, Tom Liddiard turning in a great performance with the ball to finish with two for 22 and only Harry Rothwell able to take on the bowlers towards the end of the innings.

But 232 always seemed likely to be beyond the French batsmen, and although Murphy and William Smati again shared in a valuable third-wicket stand, this time of 48 runs, no-one was able to put together a potentially match-winning innings.

Max Stokoe had them on the back foot by removing first Liddiard and then Houghton, but it was the spin combination of fourteen-year-old Shaun Kelly, who had the magnificent figures of two for 25 from ten overs, and Rothwell which kept the French response within bounds.

Gradually they dropped further and further behind the asking rate, and in the end they were all out for 170 in the 48th over. Apart from Kelly and Max Stokoe, there were a couple of wickets apiece for Alex Stokoe and Sebastian Hopkins.

Gibraltar had a bye on the opening day, and began their campaign with a comfortable 6-wicket win over Germany in Lasne.

The German batsmen again found the going tough, and struggled to 111 before they were all out in 34.4 overs. Top scorer was Nisath Nallawangsa, coming in at the fall of the sixth wicket, who contributed an aggressive 30; otherwise only Resuan Afzal, Shafraz Samsudeen and Haris Bhatti reached double figures.

Gibraltar’s skipper, Vivek Sadhwani led the way with three for 16, while there were two wickets each for Matthew Hunter, Scott Chipolina and Robbie Skinner.

Chasing a modest target, Gibraltar’s reply faltered early on, with four wickets down for 56, but then Kayron Stagno decided to take the long handle to the German attack, smacking four sixes and three fours in a whirlwind 26-ball, not-out 44 which ensured that Gibraltar won in just 20.5 overs.

Wednesday will see six Twenty20 matches, three each at the Antwerp Indians and Mechelen CC grounds, all of which will count towards the championship.