JERSEY Men’s cricketers were set to face Qatar this morning (7.30am BST) after suffering a comprehensive six-wicket defeat at the hands of hosts Kenya in their opening ICC CWC Challenge League A fixture yesterday.
The Kenyans won the toss and promptly sent Paul Hutchison’s charges into bat in Nairobi.
Jersey struggled to settle, as opener Harrison Carlyon had to depart for just two in the fourth over, chipping into the clutches of the fielder at mid-on.
Josh Lawrenson entered the fray and restored an element of control about Jersey, cruising to a comfortable 35 from 32, before dancing down the wicket to Shem Ngoche, and seeing his bails removed by wicketkeeper, Irfan Karim.
Zak Tribe would depart the very next ball, trapped LBW for 0 as Kenya fought back with a vengeance.
With opener Nick Greenwood still at the crease, joined by in-form batsman Jonty Jenner, there was always hope.
The latter would pick apart the hosts, charging to a 47 from just 32 balls featuring three maximums and as many fours.
However, Rakep Patel took his scalp just shy of a half-century and marked the beginning of a remarkable spell for the off-spin bowler.
He would dismiss Greenwood (41) just two overs later, before ripping through Jersey’s middle order.
Charlie Brennan (10), Patrick Gouge (2), Jake Dunford (5) and Julius Sumerauer (11) all fell victim to the canny Kenyan, who finished his nine-over spell with six wickets for just 28 runs conceded.
Jersey captain Chuggy Perchard offered gritty resistance at the tail, ably helped by Dan Birrell, who rotated the strike admirably.
Perchard would fire 37 to lift his side from 163/9 to 207 all out and offer the Caesareans a fighting chance.
Jersey knew that the surface suited spin, based on the destructive individual performance of Patel, but there were precious few options in the line-up.
Elliot Miles has taken a step back from Jersey cricket, and without Rhys Palmer, Ben Ward and Dom Blampied, the men in red were short.
Toby Britton, who has made the journey, was not named in the match-day squad.
Jersey instead leant on the pace tandem of Julius Sumerauer and Dan Birrell, but the savvy Kenyan outfit looked controlled.
It was Birrell who broke through first, with an innocuous ball down leg which went unpunished and found Patrick Gouge in the deep.
The Islanders clawed their way back into the match after earning a pair of wickets in quick succession, firstly by Julius Sumerauer as Dhiren Gondaria was caught in the deep by Charlie Brennan, before Nick Greenwood came in and the part-time spinner promptly dismissed Pushkar Sharma, who nicked it into the welcoming clutches of Harrison Carlyon at slip.
There was a sniff for the visitors with Kenya at 57/3 from 12 overs, but it was left for the experienced pair of Rakep Patel and wicket-keeper Irfan Karim to restore calm in Nairobi.
In fact, Jersey would have to wait nearly 27 overs and 146 more Kenyan runs to celebrate another wicket.
Patel, after his six wickets with the ball, went on to top score with the bat also in a sublime rounded performance.
He would finish with an unbeaten 84 from just 76 balls, in an knock that featured nine boundaries and six maximums.
The player of the game was ably supported by partner-in-crime Karim, who amassed 58 from 86 with six boundaries and a maximum to steer the side to a six-wicket win, with 67 balls still spare.
Jersey Squad: Chuggy Perchard (c), Harrison Carlyon, Nick Greenwood, Josh Lawrenson, Zak Tribe, Jonty Jenner, Charlie Brennan, Patrick Gouge, Julius Sumerauer, Jake Dunford, Daniel Birrell, Asa Tribe, Stanley Norman, Will Perchard, Toby Britton
