ICC/CricketEurope

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ISLE of Man beat Spain by 100 runs in Sporting Alfas to deny the hosts the chance of promotion to Division Two but the margin was not big enough to promote them to first place. But they were close.

Despite losing the toss and forced to bat first, Isle of Man totalled 211 in 49.1 overs and after Israel’s quick victory over Portugal on the final day they knew they had to dismiss Spain for 77 or less to win the Division Three Championship.

At 44 for six, with three wickets for Gareth Roome it was game on but Wasim Ur Rehman and Christian Munoz-Mills doubled the score in the space of just eight overs to end the Manxmen’s hopes of the title. Spain’s own outside hopes were quickly ended as well with Nick Hawke coming on and taking two wickets in nine balls to dismiss Spain in the 29th over.

Roome finished with four for 24, almost doubling his wickets aggregate for the tournament but just outside the top three wicket-takers. Max Stokoe got the big wicket of Jimmy Morgan which gave him his 10th of the week and ended the Spaniard’s hopes of finishing as leading run-scorer.

Hawke had also enjoyed a good day with the bat, his 70 from just 65 balls with 12 fours and a six, comfortably the top score and he received good support in the middle order from Olly Webster with a run-a-ball 36 and Daniel Kniveton.

The runs ensured the win but for both teams it was a long journey back to La Manga with not even a trophy at the end of it.