With the three-match series delicately balanced at one game all, Matt Stokes had taken 10 runs off the final two balls of Julius Sumerauer’s penultimate over – pulling a magnificent six and then cutting a four behind square – to leave the Greens requiring seven off the last, chasing 131 for victory as a rain-hit weekend came to a dramatic climax.
However, the Guernsey star, who was to finish 66 not out from 48 balls, having rebuilt the innings alongside skipper Ollie Nightingale after their side had slipped to 47 for 4 in the ninth over of the run chase, faced just a single delivery of Chuggy Perchard’s 20th over as the Jersey captain used all his experience and nous to concede only three singles as well as pick up the wickets of Luke Bichard and Adam Martel off successive balls to guide his side to victory.
It was largely thanks to Perchard and his brother Will that Jersey had reached a defendable total with the bat as they added an unbroken 56 for the ninth wicket with Guernsey having reduced their hosts to 74 for 8.
The result meant that Jersey won both matches in Saturday’s double-header, having earlier taken a rain-interrupted match by seven wickets, having been set a revised target of 114 from 13 overs.
The two sides meet again at next month’s ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 Europe Qualifier in the Netherlands.
They face off on Tuesday 8 July as the islands battle it out with Italy, Scotland and the hosts for a spot at the World Cup itself.
Guernsey convincing in opening win
Friday night’s opening game was cut short by rain, but in the 30 overs that were possible, Guernsey were thoroughly deserving of their convincing victory via the DLS method.
After captain Nightingale had won the toss and taken the obvious option to bowl with wet weather forecast, the Sarnians were outstanding in the field, restricting Jersey to 116 for 8 from their 20 overs.
Harry Johnson struck in the first over of the match, removing the dangerous Harrison Carlyon, before Nick Greenwood and Zak Tribe added 53 for the second wicket.
However, once that partnership was broken at the start of the ninth over when Greenwood holed out to Tom Nightingale at deep mid-wicket to give Martin-Dale Bradley the first of his four wickets, the Greens took control of the contest.
Jersey hit just one more boundary in the rest of the innings as wickets fell regularly as Guernsey turned the screw.
Bichard finished with a couple of scalps and there was one for Matt Stokes while Bradley was on a hat-trick at one stage in his last over. Adam Martel also bowled four highly economical overs.
At the start of the run chase, Josh Butler took the initiative for Guernsey, including hooking paceman Julius Sumerauer for six, and he would finish unbeaten on 33 from 30 balls with three fours.
Jersey did pick up the wickets of Ben Fitchet and Tom Nightingale, but Guernsey were well ahead on DLS at 65 for 2 when the rain became too heavy to continue to give the visitors the lead in the series.
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