Old Victorians reach European knockout stages – BBC Sport

Jersey champions Old Victorians are through to the knockout stages of the European Cricket League after a 19-run win over Scottish side Forfarshire.

Jamie Watling hit 32 and Julius Sumerauer 39 as Old Victorians made 116-7 after a middle-order collapse.

But in reply Forfarshire struggled to maintain the run-rate as Matthew Webb had figures of 3-22 as they got 97-6.

Old Victorians went on to lose to group leaders Hornchurch by three wickets in their final game later on Thursday.

Hornchurch end the group stage top after six wins from six, with OVs second, meaning the two sides will meet in a qualifying match for the final on Friday.

But Sumerauer and Watling put on 65 for the second wicket before the former was caught after hitting six sixes in his 15-ball innings just before the halfway point to leave Old Victorians on 66-2.

Watling hit four sixes in his 18-ball 32 before being caught to leave the Jersey side 89-3 midway through the seventh over.

But Old Victorians’ lower order failed to deliver as they managed just 27 more runs as skipper James Duckett (14) was the only other island batter to make double figures as they ended on a gettable 116-7.

The Scots’ wicketkeeper Callum Garden hit four sixes in a 15-ball 33, but none of his team-mates got past 18 runs as Forfarshire regularly lost wickets.

They lost three in four balls after James Duckett dismissed skipper Jack Hogarth for 10 in the final ball of the seventh over, before Webb took the wickets of Garden and his replacement Lewis James in consecutive balls in the next over.

Hornchurch opener George Hankins was the difference between the two sides as his knock of 84 off 24 balls set the foundation for their win over Old Victorians.

He hit 13 sixes as he and Lesbourne Edwards put on 97 runs for the second wicket before Hankins was trapped lbw by Jenner towards the end of the sixth over with the Londoners on 112-2.

Theo Pullman and Zac Wilson each took two wickets as three more Hornchurch batters reached double figures as they ended their 10 overs on 173-7.

With qualification already assured the islanders changed their line-up and lost Alistair Webster and Scott Simpson for ducks in successive second-over balls off Harry Hankins’ bowling to leave OVs on 16-2 after 10 deliveries.

Opener Zac Wilson and Jenner had a third-wicket stand of 55 before Jenner was caught for 25.

Wilson went on to make 79 off 31 balls with nine sixes before he was dismissed with the final delivery of the game as Old Victorians ended on 134-8.