Farmers reach group final in European League

Jersey champions Farmers reached the group final of the European Cricket League with an eight-wicket win over Danish champions Svanholm.

Farmers slipped to 15-2 after three overs to fall behind the run rate.

Josh Lawrenson (28) and Asa Tribe (31) put on a 64 runs for the third wicket to win with two overs to spare.

Farmers will face either Svanholm or 2019 champions VOC Rotterdam later on Saturday with the winners taking the Group B title and progressing to finals week later this month.

Having been hit for six off his first two deliveries, Will Perchard recovered to claim the wickets of Svanholm openers Hamid Shah (14) and Musa Mahmood (8) in three balls to reduce them to 23-2.

Britton had not taken a wicket in previous games in the tournament but picked up two in two balls in the next over – both caught by James Perchard – as Abdullah Mahmood went for two and Zishan Shah for a first-ball duck to leave Svanholm 34-4 off four overs.

It got better for Farmers as Mads Henriksen was caught for nine off Rhys Palmer’s first ball in the next over as the Danes struggled to 35-5 at the midway point.

Britton’s third wicket came in the next over from a superb boundary catch by Joel Dudley, dismissing James Moniz for a duck to leave the score 42-6, before Saud Munir (25) and Abdul Hashmi (12) put on 30 for the seventh wicket.

They both then fell victim to Asa Tribe and George Richardson mopped up the final two wickets.

In reply, Joel Dudley was caught on 13 off 10 balls before Zak Tribe was trapped leg before for one to leave Farmers behind the run rate on 15-2 at the end of the first three overs.

But Jersey internationals Lawrenson and Asa Tribe settled any nerves with an excellent unbeaten stand, the former’s 14-ball 28 including five fours, while Tribe hit two sixes in his 31 not out from 18.