European Cricket League: Jersey champions Farmers register win and loss on opening day

Jersey international Asa Tribe hit 17 against Svanholm and 38 not out against American University of Malta for Farmers

Jersey champions Farmers registered a win and a defeat on the opening day of their European Cricket League campaign.

The islanders had a disappointing eight-wicket loss to Danish side Svanholm in their opener, having been bowled out for just 78 in 9.4 overs.

But they recovered in their second game as they beat American University of Malta by six wickets.

Having seen the Maltese side score 117-3 Asa Tribe hit 38 not out as Farmers reached their target with a ball left.

Farmers face 2019 champions VOC Rotterdam and Indo-Bulgarian in their final two pool matches on Friday, knowing they must finish fourth or above in the five-team group if they are to have a chance of making the finals.

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Svanholm skipper Hamid Shah hit two sixes and five fours as he made 42 not out in 24 balls in their eight-wicket win over Farmers

Farmers saw opener Zak Tribe go to the second ball of the game for a duck and the islanders never really recovered.

Fellow opener Joel Dudley top-scored with 19 as he and Asa Tribe put on 25 for the second wicket before Tribe (17) and fellow Jersey international Josh Lawrenson shared a 24-run stand for the third wicket.

But when Lawrenson was run out for 12 the islanders began to cave in - only James Smith (14) made double figures as Mads Henriksen took excellent figures of 3-7 to help bowl out Farmers for 78 with two balls to spare.

In reply Svanholm eased to their target, captain Hamid Shah hitting 42 not out from 24 balls as they made 79-2 off 7.1 overs.

Farmers opener Dudley scored 24 off 17 balls against American University of Malta

Farmers knew they needed to get a victory against American University of Malta in their second game and opted to bowl, having won the toss.

But openers Basil George and Darshit Patankar had other ideas as they put on a 107-run opening stand that lasted for all but eight balls of their 10 overs.

Farmers were made to rue missed chances as both were dropped in the fourth over, with Malta international George making 56 off 28 balls, including five sixes, before being run out.

Patankar went on to make 39 off 26 balls before being caught off Will Perchard's bowling, as the Maltese champions ended on 117-3.

In reply Dudley and Zak Tribe had a 43-run opening stand before Dudley was caught for 24 off 17 balls, and almost two overs later Tribe was caught behind on 27.

Farmers' chances looked to be slipping away an over later as Smith was caught for one, while Charles Perchard was stumped for a duck with the following delivery from Tarak Shah - leaving Asa Tribe to try to guide Farmers to an unlikely victory, needing 37 runs off the final two overs.

But the 18-year-old Jersey international hit three successive sixes at the end of the ninth over to leave Farmers needing 10 off the final six balls, and Josh Lawrenson obliged with two boundaries to bring the Jersey side home.