European Cricket League: Jersey champions Farmers miss chance to reach group final

Jersey all-rounder Julius Sumerauer scored an unbeaten 26 in their eliminator win against HBS Craeyenhout

Jersey champions Farmers missed the chance to qualify for their European Cricket League group final as they lost to Spanish champions Pak I Care Badalona in the qualifier by 41 runs.

Farmers had earlier beaten Dutch club HBS Craeyenhout by six wickets in their eliminator off the last ball.

But top seeds Pak I Care proved too strong for the Islanders later in the day at Malaga's Cartama Oval.

A target of 113 was too stiff to chase as they were restricted to 71-8.

For the second time in the week, Farmers were on the receiving end of a batting onslaught from Pak I Care's Muhammad Babar, who struck 75 off 35 balls to propel his side to 112-5 off their 10 overs.

It rescued them from a tricky 26-4 in the fifth over and gave Farmers a tough chase.

They were never really in contention after losing three wickets in five balls to be reduced to 37-5 midway through the innings and were denied a place in the final to potentially join English club Tunbridge Wells and Brigade from Ireland in next week's final tournament.

Farmers had started the day with a third win in three games as they held their nerve to beat HBS Craeyenhout.

Chasing 96, opener Asa Tribe struck 46 off 22 balls to put them within sight of the finish line with a second-wicket stand of 49 with Julius Sumerauer.

Despite losing a couple more wickets, Sumerauer helped them home with an unbeaten 26 off 20 as Ben Kynman steered the last ball for a single.

Earlier, Joel Richardson gave Farmers the perfect start with the ball taking two wickets in the opening over, including Netherlands international Tobias Visee lbw for one and Manjinder Singh for a duck two balls later.

Craeyenhout then rallied from 27-3 to post 95-3 thanks to Tayo Walbrugh (47 not out) and Julien de May (24 not out) sharing an unbroken fourth-wicket partnership of 61.

• Covid pseudoscience? Delve into the conspiracy that gripped a picturesque British town

• International Women's Day?: Four strikes that made history