Portugal took the honours in the Group A clash with Luxembourg at Royal Brussels on Tuesday morning, but the most competitive match of the tournament so far went all the way to the last of the scheduled overs before a six by Zafar Ali settled the issue.

Zafar shared a fifth-wicket partnership of 55 off 56 deliveries with Intesab Medhi which took the Portugese to within three runs of their target, and only three more balls were needed to take them to their target. Zafar finished with 41 from just 18 deliveries, with three fours and three sixes, while Medhi , playing a much more restrained innings, nevertheless made 32 from 31 balls.

Luxembourg, defending a total of 139 for three to which Taral Desai's 34-ball 59 not out, including four fours and three sixes, had made a crucial contribution, were ahead of the game for much of the Portuguese innings, and it was only in the final four overs that a flurry of runs, assisted by a dropped catch at backward square leg, saw Portugal home.

Wayne Codd, with one for 24, and Pirin Merkl (two for 19) bowled economical spells to give their side a great chance, but in the end it was Zafar's blitz which gave Portugal the final word.

The Luxembourg innings had followed a similar course, Anand Pattabiraman and Joost Mees getting them off to a steady start with an opening stand of 44. The Portuguese attack kept things under control until Desai cut loose, with Muhammad Shoaib and Medhi the most economical.

Elsewhere, there were comprehensive victories for the Isle of Man over Cyprus in Group A, and for Spain over Malta in Group B.

In Ghent, Isle of Man opener Gareth Morris followed up his 95 yesterday with a magnificent unbeaten 141, made from just 62 balls with ten fours and ten sixes, which took his side to an imposing total of 224 for four. He shared in a second-wicket partnership of 76 with Oliver Webster, who made a 24-ball 38.

Syed Hussain was the only bowler of note for Cyprus, taking three for 30 in his four overs.

In reply, Cyprus were never really in contention, being dismissed for 74 in 17.1 overs. Arne van den Berg was again among the wickets for the Manxmen, taking four for 15, while Jaco Jansen claimed three for 6 as the Isle of Man ran out winners by 170 runs.

The game between Spain and Malta in Mechelen was even more one-sided, as the Maltese could manage only 30 in 9.4 overs in response to Spain's total of 215 for eight.

Top-scorer for Spain was opener Shafique Ali with 72 from just 39 balls, including nine fours and four sixes. He and his opening partner Sajad Ali (21) put on 60 for the first wicket, and then skipper James Morgan helped add another 51 for the second.

The real fireworks, however, came towards the end, as Mark Spencer smashed 46 from 15 deliveries, including five sixes, before he was forced to retire hurt. Ronnie Sacco with three for 24 and captain Andrew Lenard with two for 42 were the main wicket-takers.

Malta lost two wickets in the first over and swiftly collapsed to 8 for five and 15 for eight before the last two partnerships doubled the total.

Talat Ali took five for 13 for Spain, and Tanvir Iqbal three for two.