ICC/CRICKETEUROPE

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CYRPUS go into the last day of the European Division Four Championships at Happy Valley as favourites to win the tournament.

Their comprehensive nine wickets victory over Luxembourg, along with Austria’s 76 runs defeat to neighbours Switzerland leaves Cyprus top of the table, with a vastly superior run rate going into the final round of games.

Victory against Finland will be enough to guarantee their promotion to Division Three.

The hosts bowled out Luxembourg for 111 and knocked off the runs in less than 20 overs, with an unbeaten 52 from Kapila Wickramathanthrigie, his third score of 50 or more this week.

The only wicket to fall was Syed Hussain, who opened in place of Anil Nair to improve Cyprus’s run-rate. Hussain made 27 off just 26 balls, with five fours before he was bowled by Nitan Gandhi in the 11th over with the total on 65.

Kashif Mushtaq came in and maintained the momentum with an unbeaten 21 while Wickramathanthrigie brought up his half century with the winning boundary from his 60th delivery.

Cyprus were on top from the start despite being asked to bowl first. Christos Markides took a wicket in his second over when he had Tim Andrews, Luxembourg’s top scorer in their opening match, caught behind without scoring.

Wickets then fell steadily but it was the introduction of Palawatha Janaka who ripped out the Luxembourg middle-order, as they collapsed from 45 for three to 64 for seven. Janaka finished with four for 31 and Markides and Wickramathanthrigie also took two wickets.

Romesh Paul put up some late resistance for Luxembourg, finishing top scorer with 34 from No 6, but they were all out with 16 balls unused.