Guernsey survive scare to beat Norway and win promotion to ICC World Cricket League Division 5

Guernsey will now face Suriname in a mouth-watering final at Essex’s County Ground in Chelmsford on Sunday.
 
David Hooper, who was player of the match with a 37 knock and three wickets for a cost of just 14 runs, said: “Credit to Norway as they bowled in some nice areas but we’ve got a great bunch of lads and we showed fight today in defending 173. As a team going past 200 each game we were evaluating the pitch at 180 to 200, but we just fell away at the end. I think we got the better of the conditions batting first as the sun beat down on the pitch all game, making it harder to bat on later. The final should be a fantastic game. We know what Suriname do and they know what we do, but we are determined to lift the trophy. To play the final on a pitch like the one at the County Ground is great and to win on Sunday would be amazing.”
 
Guernsey elected to bat first but struggled as seamer Damon Crawford (3-24) and captain Raza Iqbal (3-26) restricted them to a total of 173. In reply Norway were up against it on a deteriorating pitch as they slumped to 6-2 in the first two overs. Suhail Ifthikar made 71 but his side were unable to score late on and lost their last three wickets for just 13 runs. Norway will now play Vanuatu in the third-place play off at Castle Park, Colchester, on Sunday.
 
All-rounder Muneshwar Patandin inspired Suriname to a four-wicket win over Vanuatu to secure the first promotion spot to World Cricket League Division 5. Patandin dominated the Vanuatu’s tail and finished with bowling figures of 5-18 before scoring a useful 22 as his side comfortably ran down Vanuatu’s total of 140.
 
Patandin, who will now bid to end his impressive week in style in Sunday’s final with Guernsey, said: “I think it was a good effort to bowl them out for 140. And in the final we need to put our best foot forward and try to win the tournament. The guys are up for it and hopefully everyone will go there and do their best. We just have to stick to our game plan and work as a team. I was pleased with my performance today but I feel I should have scored more runs.”
 
Vanuatu were put into bat and lasted just 36.4 overs as Joshua Rasu top-scored with 34. They were 48-1 after six overs and Suriname's bowlers then allowed them just one run from the next 24 deliveries, while taking two wickets. Suriname took no chances in their reply, particularly after opener Shazam Ramjohn was dismissed for three runs. Player of the match Patandin scored his 22 runs with three boundaries and captain Mohindra Boodram made 43 as Suriname eased over the line with three overs to spare.
 
A knock of 68 from Fiji’s Kunaal Kumar set them up for a 91-run win over the Cayman Islands at the Drapers Farm ground in Maldon. Fiji were all out for 187 as Neil Coley ended with impressive figures of 5-40. But the Cayman Islands’ hopes in the reply looked over before they began as they slumped to 12-5 in 4.4 overs. And Jikoi Kida Vanualevu (3-35) and Viliame Manakiwai (3-19) did the damage with the ball to leave the Cayman Islands all out for 95 in 34.5 overs. Fiji will now play Botswana in the fifth-place play-off match at Bishop’s Stortford Cricket Club on Sunday.