Tribe ton helps Jersey earn 168-run win over Qatar

Zak Tribe's century against Qatar was his first for Jersey

Zak Tribe hit his first international century as Jersey beat Qatar by 168 runs in ICC Challenge League A in Kenya.

He smashed an impressive 81-ball 100 while opener Harrison Carlyon struck 89 as the islanders reached 320 all out from 49.5 overs at the Nairobi Gymkhana Club.

In reply, Qatar could not get close to Jersey's total as Nick Greenwood took 5-38 to help Jersey bowl out their opponents for 152 in 40.4 overs with Imal Liyanage scoring 51.

The win came a day after Jersey were beaten by six wickets by the hosts in their opening match of the current ICC Challenge League cycle.

The match is one of 15 games played 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 and Denmark 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.

Harrison Carlyon put his disappointing score of two against Kenya behind him as he scored 89

Jersey lost Greenwood (11) and Josh Lawrenson (12) to leave them on 59-2 off 13.4 overs.

But opener Carlyon, who lost his wicket early in the loss to Kenya on Wednesday, put in a superb performance as he and Zak Tribe put together a 117-run third-wicket stand.

Carlton was eventually caught by Muhammad Tanveer to become Muhammad Murad's second victim as he included three sixes and eight fours in his 117-ball knock.

Murad bowled Carlyon's replacement Jonty Jenner with the very next ball as the big-hitting batter edged onto his middle stump.

But Tribe and Charlie Brennan came together for an excellent partnership of 78 - the pair smashed 23 off the 40th over - as they guided Jersey to 254-4 before Brennan was bowled by Muhammad Jabir for 31.

Having hit four sixes and eight fours, Tribe, the older brother of Glamorgan's Asa, was caught on the boundary off Amir Farooq's bowling as he aimed for a fifth maximum to leave Jersey on 277-6 with five overs to go.

Julius Sumerauer scored a handy 17 off 12 balls as Jersey ended on 320 as Farooq took 5-42 while Murad ended with figures of 4-54.

Nick Greenwood's figures of 5-38 came earned him the Player of the Match award

Qatar never got close to Jersey's run rate in their reply as Jersey eased to their first victory in the competition.

Shakir Ali and Liyanage had a decent 56-run stand for the second wicket before Ali was bowled by Greenwood for 26 off 40 balls to leave Qatar on 89-2.

But they struggled to make inroads in the Jersey attack, especially after Liyanage was caught off Jersey skipper Charles Perchard's bowling for 51 from 76 balls to leave his side on 97-4 in the 25th over.

Wellington's Greenwood was the pick of Jersey's bowlers as his off-spin proved too difficult for Qatar to handle, returning figures of 5-38.

The New Zealand-based all-rounder ended the final signs of Qatari resistance when he encouraged Mujeeb Khan to slog short of the boundary and into Lawrenson's grateful hands for 20, to leave Qatar on 143-8 with 12-and-a-half overs to go.

Greenwood bowled Farooq for 9 two overs later for his fifth wicket before Perchard claimed Muhammad Jabir for 1 in the next over as Qatar were bowled out for 152 with nine-and-a-half overs remaining.

"The boys were absolutely outstanding today, every guy that set foot on the park was a superstar today and I'm really proud," Perchard told the ICC.

"Everyone's delighted for Zak, that first Jersey 100 and what an innings that was, it was huge in propelling us up to 320.

"Harrison's knock was brilliant and there were some really good cameos from a lot of the guys along the way as well."