European Cricket League: Jersey champions Farmers knocked out at group stage

Zak Tribe's innings helped Farmers drag up their run-rate as they aimed for a top-four finish

Jersey champions Farmers are out of the European Cricket League after losing their final two group matches.

They lost their first game by 12 runs to unbeaten Irish side CIYMS, despite Zak Tribe's excellent 83 from 27 balls, as they failed to chase down 146.

Farmers needed to beat English side Hornchurch in order to progress.

But a poor batting performance saw Farmers make 82-6 in their 10 overs, which Hornchurch chased down in 8.2 overs to win by six wickets.

The defeats mean Farmers can finish no higher than fifth in the seven-team finals group, with the top four reaching Friday's knockout stage.

Having won their qualifying group earlier this month Farmers faced the other pool winners, as well as reigning champions Pak I Care Badelona from Spain.

"It's been am amazing experience, we've had a really young team out and held our heads up high," Farmers captain James Perchard said.

"We're missing several of the national team players who are away in Namibia at the moment and that's been quite important.

"But we've been competitive in all our matches and we've done Jersey proud."

Farmers won two of their five pool matches in the finals, beating French side Dreux and bottom-of-the-table Beveren from Belgium.

Against CIMYS the Irish side's opener Jason van der Merwe hit a 70 off 30 balls they made 145-3 from their 10 overs.

Van der Merwe and Chris Dougherty put on 89 for the first wicket in 6.1 overs, before Dougherty was caught and bowled by Nicolaj Damgaard for 36 off 17 balls.

Ben Calitz made 25 off 10 balls before being caught midway through the ninth over with the score on 127-2.

Van der Merwe was finally stopped with the penultimate ball when he was caught by Joel Dudley on the boundary from Toby Britton's bowling after smashing seven sixes and three fours as CIMYS made 145-3.

In reply Farmers had a terrible start with Damgaard being caught for six off the second ball, before Patrick Gouge and Joel Dudley went for one and eight respectively as they were reduced to 28-3.

Oliver Hald made 23 off nine balls as he and Tribe put on 44 runs for the fourth wicket, to leave Farmers needing 72 runs off the final four overs.

Tribe produced a superb batting performance as he hit 10 sixes and three fours to bring the Jersey side up to a score of 130-7 with one over to go.

But Tribe was caught with the first ball of the over and his team-mates could not make up the difference as they ended on 133-9.

Hornchurch cruise to victory

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

Farmers' openers struggled knowing they had to beat Hornchurch if they were to have a chance of making the top four.

They were reduced to 44-4 off five overs as Dudley made 13, Gouge 11, Damgaard 10 and Tribe just eight as their attempts to hit boundaries fell repeatedly short.

It got worse for the islanders as Mark James took the wickets of Danish wildcard player Hald for two, and Jack de Gruchy for five, to leave Farmers on 60-6 off 7.1 overs.

Jersey international Rhys Palmer's 14 not out was the highlight of a poor innings as he and Harry Jenkins - 11 not out - put on 22 for the seventh wicket as Farmers ended on 82-6.

The east Londoners wasted little time in their reply as former Gloucestershire batter George Hankins and Paul Murray put on 48 for the opening wicket in four overs, before Murray was caught by Tribe off Toby Britton's bowling for 14.

Hankins was trapped lbw by Damgaard for 34 an over later having hit two sixes and four fours in his 17-ball knock, while Adil Malik was caught for one off the next ball as Britton claimed a second victim with Hornchurch on 58-3.

Farmers' bowlers did slow the run-rate with Tom Shenton's first over going for two runs as he took the wicket of Adeel Malik for one, but Chris Sains' 21 not out saw Hornchurch end on 84-4 from 8.2 overs.

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