Patel stars as Jersey lose to hosts Kenya in opener

Rakep Patel's figures of 6-28 off nine overs were his best-ever in a 50-over innings for Kenya

Jersey lost their first game in the new edition of the ICC Challenge League by six wickets to hosts Kenya.

Having lost the toss Jersey started well as Jonty Jenner hit 47 off 33 balls while Nick Greenwood scored 41.

But the islanders could not handle Kenya spinner Rakep Patel who took 6-28 as Jersey slumped from 128-4 to 207 all out in 48.4 overs

In reply at the Ruaraka Sports Club in Nairobi, Kenya reached 208-4 in 38.5 overs as Patel backed up his performance with the ball with the bat as he scored 84 not out.

The match was the first of 15 games in three Challenge League A tournaments between now and 2026 as part of the first phase of qualifying for the 2027 Cricket World Cup in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia.

Jersey, who won ICC Challenge League B in 2022, still have to face Papua New Guinea, Kuwait, Denmark and Qatar over the next 10 days.

The top two sides in Challenge League A, along with the top two of Challenge League B which is running concurrently, will progress to the 2027 Cricket World Cup Qualifier Play-off.

Jonty Jenner (left) and Nick Greenwood helped Jersey reach a defendable total

Jersey lost opener Harrison Carlyon for two early on before Greenwood and Josh Lawrenson put on 51 for the second wicket.

But Lawrenson was stumped for 35 off 32 balls and his replacement Zak Tribe was trapped lbw by Shem Ngoche with the very next ball to leave the islanders on 56-3 off 14.5 overs.

Jenner replaced Tribe and smashed three sixes and three fours in his 33-ball 47 as he and Greenwood made 72 for the fourth wicket before the former Sussex youngster was caught by Dhiren Gondaria off Patel's bowling.

Patel bowled Greenwood in his next over, with the Wellington batter scoring 41 off 76 balls, to leave Jersey on 133-5 off 27.1 overs.

Former Kenya captain Patel continued to carve through the Jersey order as he claimed the wicket of Patrick Gouge lbw for two and bowled Charlie Brennan for 10 as Jersey stumbled to 145-7 in the 32nd over.

Jake Dunford became his fifth victim as he was caught for five, while Julius Sumerauer followed him back to the pavilion when he was leg before to Patel for 11 to leave Jersey on 163-9 just before the end of the 40th over.

Jersey skipper Charles Perchard provided some final resistance as he hit 37 off 51 balls before being caught on the boundary off Peter Langat's bowling.

In reply, Greenwood, Dan Birrell and Julius Sumerauer all took a wicket to leave Kenya on 57-3 after 11.4 overs.

But Patel and Irfan Karim came together and put on an impressive 146-run fourth-wicket partnership as Patel top-scored with a 76-ball 84 not out, including three sixes and nine fours.

He was well-supported by Karim who hit 58 from 86 balls before he was caught by Josh Lawrenson off Sumerauer's bowling to leave Kenya on 203-4.

Sachin Bhudia came in and needed just two balls to hit the runs which ensured the hosts began their home campaign with a victory.

Jersey will look to get their first win of the campaign against Qatar on Thursday.

"It was a tough day," Jersey skipper Charles Perchard told the ICC.

"Kenya were absolutely superb in all three departments of the game and we were comprehensively beaten today, but we'll dust ourselves off and go again tomorrow.

"We were good in patches with the bat, but we didn't get any humungous scores that could lift our total."