Can Jersey keep their 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup dream alive?

Jersey beat Kenya on home turf in August to secure their progression to the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier Play-off in Namibia

"It's one of our big goals, both in 50-over cricket and in T20, to reach a World Cup," reflects Jersey head coach Neil MacRae as they prepare for their next big cricket adventure.

The team from a Channel Island with a population of just over 100,000 take part in the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier Play-off in Namibia this week.

A top-two finish in the six-team tournament would see them progress to the final stage of qualifying for the World Cup, in India in October.

On population size alone, Jersey look like underdogs against Canada, the United States, Namibia, Papua New Guinea and the United Arab Emirates.

While a number of those countries draw players from expatriate populations - Jersey's side are all homegrown.

"We've invested a huge amount of time and resource into youth cricket and the squad that goes to Namibia, 13 of those 14 players have come through the Jersey age-group system and now become the stars of the senior team," MacRae says proudly.

"The bigger project is to move gradually up the world rankings, we've done that and this tournament will give us the opportunity to go to the final qualifying round for the 50-over World Cup in June, and also gain ODI status for the first time in our history."

A young side with experience

Opener Nick Greenwood - who plays in New Zealand with Wellington - is one of two Jersey players to have experience of first-class cricket

Should Jersey finish in the top four they would gain coveted One-Day International status - meaning a place in the ICC's League Two, alongside the likes of Scotland, and a massive cash injection that could see the island's mainly amateur players being able to become at the very least semi-professional.

Jersey's players are gaining more and more experience all the time - they have reached the last three Global Qualifiers for the T20 World Cup and have faced the likes of Zimbabwe, Ireland and the US.

To get to this stage of 2023 qualifying Jersey won nine consecutive 50-over matches last year to top ICC Challenge League B - beating former previous World Cup qualifiers Kenya and Bermuda on the way.

"We still believe a World Cup is definitely possible," MacRae tells BBC Radio Jersey.

"As we progress further, it's a young side that have gathered a lot of experience playing in tournaments around the world.

"The average age is still young compared to opposition sides, it's still an amateur team as well, so the growth potential is huge and we're just excited about the prospect of building on the momentum from last summer, particularly that home tournament in Jersey, and taking the team to Namibia."

'We aim to win all five games'

Jersey are ranked 23rd in the world in Twenty20 cricket

Jersey cricket is growing at club level as well - the island's champions Farmers are in this week's finals of the European Cricket League - a 10-over tournament of club champions from around the continent.

But Jersey's success has hit Farmers as island skipper Charles Perchard and star young batters Asa Tribe and Josh Lawrenson are unable to play, as they are on international duty.

Jersey are a side with some good experience - former Sussex youngster and England 12th man Jonty Jenner has the capability to be devastating in the middle order, while opener Nick Greenwood plays first-class cricket in New Zealand.

"In addition to those Farmers players there's a core of Jersey players who've represented the island with distinction around the world," adds MacRae.

"Jonty Jenner is now an experienced middle-order batter, we've got an exciting opening partnership with Nick Greenwood and Harrison Carlyon, Julius Sumerauer and Anthony Hawkins-Kay have led the attack well and we've got strong spin bowling options as well throughout the squad.

"Without naming all 14 players individually it is a team which has grown immensely over the last two years since the reintroduction of cricket from Covid-19 and has match-winning players throughout the line-up, and it's also a squad of 14 who all think they should make the starting 11."

But realistically, can Jersey do it against sides with much greater resources, both in terms of manpower and finances?

"We've played all these teams before, either in 50 over or T20 format, and we've beaten them before," MacRae said.

"They are good sides, but we are also very confident in what we can do in terms of the aggressive style of cricket we have developed, particularly last summer, so it's set up for a great tournament.

"We definitely go to the tournament aiming to win all five games, that's the only way we know to attack a tournament, and building on the momentum of last summer that's the mentality we take over to Namibia."