ICC/CricketEurope

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The Isle of Man qualified for the semi final stage of the competition by virtue of a facile 68 run win over Gibraltar at Medicina.

Shaun Kelly was yet again their star performer with both the bat and ball, as he scored an unbeaten 59, and then followed it up with 3 for 25, to leave the Man of the Match verdict in little doubt.

The old adage about catches winning matches was certainly very true in this encounter, and a succession of missed opportunities was to cost Gibraltar dear.

They were given the perfect start when Simon Dumas had Ryan Burns well caught behind by Mark Gomez in the first over of the day. He followed that up by taking a return catch of Adam McAuley (7), and the Manxmen were struggling at 22 for 2.

Wickets from Dylan Casciaro and Julian Freyone saw the dismissals of Rowan Bird (13), and Richard Jackson (6), to leave then at a very precarious 51 for 4.

It was then that Shaun Kelly took centre stage, anchoring the innings and building partnerships all the way to the end with the middle and lower order. He made his 59 from 74 balls striking five boundaries, before being forced to retire hurt with one ball left, after receiving a blow to his lower abdomen.

The biggest stand was 42 for the 7th wicket between Kelly and Matthew Ansell who made 18. Other scorers of note in the final score of 190 for 8 were Adam Killey (14) and Nicholas Moffitt (11).

A steady bowling performance saw all six bowlers used claiming wickets, with Julian Freyone (2-16), and Simon Dumas (2-30) the most successful.

Gibraltar weathered the opening attack of the Isle of Man with little trouble, the only casualty being Julian Freyone run out in a tight decision for 2. Jeremy Perez (11), drove a simple return catch to Ryan Burns, but with Matthew Stott and Kayron Stagno well set, it was game on at 68 for 2.

The introduction of the leg spin of Kelly into the attack proved crucial, as he had Stott caught by Burns for unlucky 13, and shortly after trapped Dumas lbw for a single.

The crucial wicket was always going to be that of Stagno, and after being dropped off a sitter, he was eventually brilliantly caught by a diving Sebastian Aycock, having hit 2 sixes and 2 fours in his 27 from 26 balls.

That wicket seemed to knock the stuffing out of Gibraltar, and from 89 for 4, they collapsed to 108 all out in 27 overs.

Adam McAuley picked up two wickets for just two runs, while Shaun Kelly (3-25), Ryan Burns (2-27), Sebastian Aycock (1-1), and Sam Kebbell (1-7) were the other wicket takers.

The Isle of Man will now face either Belgium or Germany in the semi finals, after the results, tables and rates have been confirmed.