Image source, Diana Oros/European Cricket
Jersey champions Old Victorians have been beaten in the final of the European Cricket League in Spain.
The islanders lost by seven wickets to English side Hornchurch – their third loss to the Londoners in the finals.
Batting first OVs reached 93-5 in their 10 overs as Scott Simpson top scored with 33 off 15 balls.
But Hornchurch – who won all their games in the final round – made 95-3 in 8.5 overs to reach their target and win the title for the first time.
Hornchurch returned to the final having lost out on the 2023 title to French side Dreux 12 months ago.
But star opener Jonty Jenner was caught off the very first ball while his big-hitting replacement Julius Sumerauer went for a duck two balls later off the bowling of Mohammad Irfan to leave them 0-2.
Zac Wilson tried to steady the innings but was caught on 21 as the island side slumped to 32-4 off five-and-a-half overs.
Simpson provided some resistance, but when he went on 77-5 with eight balls to go Old Victorians knew their chances of making three figures were remote.
Skipper James Duckett made 25 not out off 12 balls as Old Victorians ended on 93-5 from their 10 overs.
Hornchurch started well in their reply as openers George Hankins and Jalpesh Vijay made 50 for the first wicket before the latter was superbly caught behind by Jonathan Heward for 26 off Wilson’s bowling in the fourth over.
Hankins went on to hit the winning runs with a six as he made 48 not out off 22 balls. He cleared the boundary six times as Hornchurch never looked troubled by the target they were set.
Another Jenner ton guides OVs into final
Image source, Diana Oros/European Cricket
Earlier Jenner and fellow Jersey international Sumerauer had guided Old Victorians to the final after an impressive 83-run win over Italian side Jinnah Brescia earlier in the day.
Jenner hit 106 to become the first batter to score three European Cricket League centuries as he smashed 13 sixes and five fours in his 29-ball knock.
He and Julius Sumerauer put on 178 for the first wicket as OVs made 209-1 – the all-rounder missing a century when he hit the final ball of the innings for four as he got 13 maximums in a 29-ball innings.
In reply, the Jersey side’s bowlers dominated as four different players took two wickets each.
Sumerauer took 2-11 in a one-over spell as Brescia were reduced to 52-3 off 2.4 overs.
Wickets continued to tumble at regular intervals as Theo Pullman (2-15), Matthew Webb (2-28) and Scott Simpson (2-30) also returned two-wicket hauls.
The win came after Old Victorians openers collapsed against Hornchurch in their first qualifier for the final – they were 7-3 and went on to make 82-6 off their 10 overs thanks in part to Duckett’s knock of 25.
In reply, Hornchurch made 84-5 off 7.4 overs with Simpson and Sumerauer each taking two wickets.