Singapore and Bahrain will appear in the Pepsi ICC World Cricket League Division 5 next year after both the sides finished in the top two of the Pepsi ICC World Cricket League Division 6 (WCL Div.6) in Singapore.

Singapore finished unbeaten in the six-team tournament, winning all its five group stage matches and then defeating Bahrain by four wickets in the final at Kalang on Saturday.

The two sides have join Fiji, Jersey, the USA and Nepal in the Division 5 tournament which will be staged in Nepal from 20 to 27 February 2010.

The WCL provides a clearly defined pathway towards the ICC Cricket World Cup as all Associate and Affiliate teams receive the opportunity to progress and develop as they take part in qualifying events against similarly ranked teams around the globe.

Simon Taufel of the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Umpires, who officiated in the event, said he enjoyed getting back to grassroots cricket. 'It has been a marvelous week. It has been about getting back to basics and not relying on television replays or anything similar. It has been about backing your own skills as an umpire,' he said.

'It was great to be officiating with not just the members of the ICC Associate and Affiliate International Umpires' Panel but also with various other regional umpires who were involved in the week. It was a good week in which competitive cricket was played with a great spirit.'

Commenting on the hosting of an ICC tournament in his country, Singapore Cricket Association and ICC Director Imran Khwaja said: 'This week has been a superb one and I am ecstatic about Singapore's promotion to Division 5.

'It has been absolutely marvellous to wear the hat of an ICC Director and host the tournament here. I think there are many Associate Members like us who have the capability and the potential to host such ICC events and I hope we'll see more events like this in future.'

ICC Global Development Manager, Matthew Kennedy, expressed his pleasure at seeing the Associates move up in the global rankings table after strong performances this week. 'It's great to see the global rankings have a shake-up after this tournament and the various Associates being able to progress up the table.

'Singapore won all its six matches and as such, has maintained its 33rd ranking in the world while fellow Division 5 qualifier Bahrain has jumped to 34th position. Guernsey has also risen three places up the table to claim 35th position.

'The Pepsi ICC World Cricket League and the system of promotion and relegation we have in place is really helping the development of Associate and Affiliate Members and enabling them to find their relevant current ‘fit' amongst their peers,' said Kennedy.

Elsewhere in the tournament, Guernsey beat Malaysia in the third-fourth place play-off at the Singapore Cricket Club. Guernsey's Jeremy Frith was named Player of the Tournament after he scored a century and four half-centuries to finish with an average of 53.45.

Frith, who was also the Player of the Tournament at the WCL Div.7 earlier this year, reflecting on his performance said: 'I am absolutely delighted to be named player of the tournament.

'I have to say I am over the moon with the way we turned things around for ourselves after the poor start we had at the beginning of the tournament. It's great that we retained our place in Division 6.'

In a contest between the two sides who have been relegated to Div.7, Botswana defeated Norway by 23 runs in a high-scoring match at the Indian Association. Batting first, Botswana put on 344 runs on the board with Karan Kapoor scoring an impressive 138 while vice-captain Abdul Patel making a solid 53 before retiring due to the heat and humidity.

Norway made a good start and was closing in on the target but some tight bowling by the Botswana side meant the Africans finished WCL Div.6 in fifth place.