Jersey’s Farmers win European Cricket League final
Farmers are the first Jersey club side to win an international title
- Published
Jersey champions Farmers have won the final of the European Cricket League.
The island side beat Italian club Roma by 42 runs in Spain to become the first Jersey team to win the title after local rivals Old Victorians made last year’s final.
Farmers made 146-8 from their 10 overs at the Cartama Oval near Malaga, as Julius Sumerauer hit 35 off 13 balls.
In reply, Roma, who finished third in the final group stage behind second-placed Farmers, could only reach 104-9.
Victory ensures Farmers will qualify for the tournament next year.
Julius Sumerauer (third from right) was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player And scored 35 runs and took a wicket to help Farmers win the final
Skipper Zak Tribe hit 21 off seven balls before being trapped lbw early in the second over to leave his side on 28-1.
Sumerauer, who twice survived being caught off no-balls from Khalid Ahmadi, eventually succumbed to the Roma bowler for 35 off 13 balls.
His dismissal came after Ahmadi had taken Christian Purchase (22) and James Smith (0) in successive balls at the end of the fourth over as Farmers slipped to 86-4 just after the midway point.
Tommy Sturgess provided some resistance with 31 not out off 10 balls as his side finished on 146-8.
In reply, Roma were reduced to 19-3 off 2.1 overs as Sturgess took two wickets in two balls.
But Crishan Kalugamage and Charles Fernando put on 47 for the fourth wicket before Kalugamage was caught off Scott van Breda’s bowling for a 10-ball 30 to leave Roma on 66-4 off 5.5 overs.
Italian title hopes evaporated after Sumerauer took Fernando’s wicket for 35 to leave Roma on 94-5 off 7.2 overs.
Will Perchard took three wickets in the penultimate over as Roma ended on 104-9.
Farmers cruised into the final earlier on Friday
Earlier in the day it was plain sailing for Farmers as they swept through their qualifier match with 10-wicket victory over Skanderborg.
The Danish side got off to a slow start, managing 10 runs from the first over, but managed to protect their wickets until the fourth over.
But from then on Farmers upped the pressure and eventually bowled out eight of the opposition batters, limiting them to a score of 124-8 in 10 overs as Sumerauer and Van Breda each took three wickets.
The islanders came out to bat and started off out of character, scoring only six runs in the first over.
But then Jersey international all-rounder Sumerauer hit his stride to score 90 runs off 26 balls, including 12 sixes, as Farmers ended the match on 129-0 from 6.2 overs.