European Cricket League: Jersey champions Farmers make finals after dramatic win

Charles Perchard's two-wicket opening over set the tone for Farmers' victory in the final

Jersey champions Farmers are through to the finals of the European Cricket League after winning Group B.

They beat Danish champions Svanholm by seven wickets in the 10-over decider, having also defeated them in a qualifying match earlier on Saturday.

Having won the toss, Toby Britton and Charles Perchard each took two wickets to restrict Svanholm to 85-4.

In reply, James Smith hit the winning runs with a ball to spare as Asa Tribe made 37 not out in their 87-3.

Farmers will return to the Cartama Oval in Spain for Championship Week from 20-24 March.

But they will be without many of their Jersey internationals, including the Tribe brothers, Charles Perchard and Josh Lawrenson, who will be preparing for the island side's 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier play-off in Namibia which begins on 24 March.

Jersey international captain Perchard's superb swing bowling trapped Svanholm opener Musa Mahmood with the very first ball of the game and he also bowled Mads Henriksen with the final ball of the opening over for one to leave the Danes 6-2.

Eighteen-year-old Jersey international batter Asa Tribe was Farmers' top scorer with 152 runs in his six innings

Toby Britton took two wickets in two balls as Hamid Shad was bowled for 20 and Abdullah Mahmood fell lbw for a duck to leave the Danes on 47-4 in the seventh over.

Saud Munir steadied the innings with an impressive 53 not out off 30 balls, including five sixes, and James Moniz (10 not out) shared in a 38-run stand as Britton ended the innings with figures of 2-8 and Perchard took 2-12.

Opener Joel Dudley wasted no time at the start of the run-chase, taking 14 runs from the first five balls before being caught with off the final delivery of Munir's over.

His replacement Asa Tribe went on to hit a six and four fours in his 24-ball knock and put on 23 with his brother Zak (10) and 42 with Lawrenson before he was was caught for 19.

The Danes did well to restrict the islanders, but Smith held his nerve as he came in during the last over and hit the crucial runs to end on eight not out from three balls.

Farmers end Svanholm's unbeaten record

Toby Britton's bowling put Farmers in a strong position in their qualifier

Earlier on Saturday, Farmers made certain of a place in the final with an eight-wicket victory over the Danes in their qualifying match.

The islanders' bowlers were superb as they dismissed previously unbeaten opponents for 78 in their 10 overs, with young spinner Britton taking 3-13.

Having been hit for six off his first two deliveries, Will Perchard recovered to claim the wickets of Svanholm openers Hamid Shah (14) and Musa Mahmood (8) in three balls to reduce them to 23-2.

Britton had not taken a wicket in previous games in the tournament but picked up two in two balls in the next over - both caught by James Perchard - as Abdullah Mahmood went for two and Zishan Shah for a first-ball duck to leave Svanholm 34-4 off four overs.

It got better for Farmers as Mads Henriksen was caught for nine off Rhys Palmer's first ball in the next over as the Danes struggled to 35-5 at the midway point.

Britton's third wicket came in the next over from a superb boundary catch by Joel Dudley, dismissing James Moniz for a duck to leave the score 42-6, before Saud Munir (25) and Abdul Hashmi (12) put on 30 for the seventh wicket.

They both then fell victim to Asa Tribe and George Richardson mopped up the final two wickets.

In reply, Joel Dudley was caught on 13 off 10 balls before Zak Tribe was trapped leg before for one to leave Farmers behind the run rate on 15-2 at the end of the first three overs.

But Jersey internationals Lawrenson and Asa Tribe settled any nerves with an excellent unbeaten stand worth 64 - the former's 14-ball 28 including five fours, while Tribe hit two sixes in his 31 not out from 18.