Jersey and Italy in box seats for single spot at global qualifier

BREAKING: Jersey and Italy – the only match to be played at the College ground today – has been moved to the afternoon give the ground the best chance to dry. This is a key game in the context of the event and the winner will have one hand on the trophy. David Piesing will make his EC debut, blogging live from the ground.

We are about to enter the business stage of the European T20 World Cup qualifiers taking place in Guernsey. With only one singular spot qualifying through to the main qualification tournament in the United Arab Emirates later this year stakes are extremely high in what was predicted to be a very even contest. The tournament has been plagued by rain causing an entire day of no results yesterday.

Only eight of the twelve scheduled matches have been completed across the event so far and all four games abandoned yesterday are due to be played tomorrow, the final reserve day.

Jersey and Italy currently sit atop the table with three wins each. Jersey has only had the three matches for their perfect record while Italy had their fourth abandoned. Jersey holds the all-important net run rate advantage after an eight-wicket win against Guernsey and a big 80 run victory against Norway.

Denmark and Germany both have mathematical chances of catching the front runners. For both teams, however, every game becomes a final for them to stay within striking distance of Italy and Jersey.

Norway and Guernsey’s qualification hopes have been dashed as they sit winless from their opening three matches and will be looking to play the villain in sneaking a maiden win and potentially ruining another countries qualification hopes.

Today is shaping as the biggest of the tournament so far with each match holding great significance in the scheme of the ladder. Guernsey and Norway will play off in what is shaping to be a wooden spoon playoff. Germany and Denmark face off with the winner staying in the race to qualify with the loser being eliminated. And as mentioned earlier, Jersey takes on Italy in the afternoon in the top of the table clash.

The final day of match play sees rain affected matchups being replayed. Pending the result of the Germany and Denmark encounter today, both the Germany/Norway and the Denmark/Guernsey ties could hold some significance with the team still in the hunt needing a massive percentage boost to get up into contention.

In what is shaping up as a blockbuster afternoon tomorrow is the Denmark/Italy and Germany/Jersey matches. This tournament will well and truly come down to the last two games of the tournament with three of the four teams involved in the last two games in the running to qualify.

Let’s hope the rain stays away and that some quality cricket is played as these teams chase the dream of qualifying for the big dance in Australia in 2020.