Jersey cricket: Asa Tribe and Ben Ward shine but islanders lose to USA at World Cup play-off

Asa Tribe will need three runs in Jersey's final game in Windhoek to reach 200 for the competition

Jersey's hopes of progressing to the final stage of ICC World Cup qualifying were ended as they lost to the USA by 25 runs in Namibia.

The loss of three wickets in four balls left them 17-5 early in their attempt to chase down a target of 232.

Asa Tribe followed his century against Papua New Guinea with 75 but they were all out for 206 - Ali Khan taking 7-32.

Spinner Ben Ward earlier claimed 4-39 as the USA were dismissed for 231 from the final ball of their innings.

Tribe and Ward shared a 97-run partnership for the sixth wicket before the former's 104-ball innings came to an end when he was lbw as he tried to glance a ball from left-arm spinner Nisarg Patel.

Needing 70 off the final 10 overs, Jersey lost Ward for 46 in the next - made off 69 balls - when he edged Jasdeep Singh to the wicketkeeper.

Jersey have one win from four games in the six-team qualifier play-off in Namibia, with the top two set to progress to the next phase in India in October.

And they need to finish in the top four to secure coveted one-day international status and a cash injection that should enable mainly amateur players to become at least semi-professional.

They play the United Arab Emirates in their final match on Wednesday, which they must win and hope Papua New Guinea can do the same against Canada.

Ben Ward's best figures for Jersey are 4-18 in a Twenty20 match

Having been put in, USA were struggling on 73-3 after Ward dismissed Saiteja Mukkamalla and Monank Patel with successive deliveries at the end of the 19th over.

The innings was steadied by a stand of 69 between Steven Taylor (79) and Gajanand Singh (41) before Taylor was run out by Julius Sumerauer, who also claimed figures of 2-36.

Elliot Miles also picked up two wickets and took the last to fall when Khan was caught by Jonty Jenner.

But pace bowler Khan soon had Jersey in trouble at the start of their reply, removing Harrison Carlyon and Nick Greenwood in his first two overs.

His third, though, was a real shock for the islanders as Josh Lawrenson was caught behind and Jake Dunford and Dominic Blampied were taken in the cordon for ducks in the same over.

Tribe and Ward did their best to keep Jersey in the contest and the chase was continued by Sumerauer and Charles Perchard, who added 32 for the ninth wicket.

They needed 33 from the final 30 balls but Sumerauer was yorked for 35 from 25 balls, and he ended the match by cleaning up Miles in his next over, leaving skipper Perchard on 18 not out.