Kuwait wins Pepsi ICC World Cricket League Division 8

Kuwait beat Germany by six wickets in the final of the Pepsi ICC World Cricket League Division 8 (WCL Div.8) at the Hubara ground on Friday.

Chasing a victory target of 164, the Kuwaitis started well with a 58-run opening wicket partnership between 31-year-old Irfan Bhatti who was later declared Player of the Tournament for his 202 runs in the tournament. But, the match-winner for the host side was easily man of the match Saud Qamar who followed up his 5-28 with 45 not out.

By virtue of reaching the final, both Kuwait and Germany joined Japan, Botswana, Norway and Nigeria in the Pepsi ICC WCL Div.7 which will be staged at the beginning of May 2011 in Botswana.

Elsewhere, Vanuatu beat Zambia in a nail-biting fixture that saw the Pacific Islanders maintain its Division 8 standing while relegating the Africans out of the tournament and back into the regional qualifying set-up.

The already relegated Suriname, Gibraltar, Bhutan and Bahamas all played today in order to finalise the tournament standings, with Suriname beating Gibraltar by seven wickets in the fifth/sixth play-off and Bhutan beating Bahamas by two wickets in the seventh/eighth play-off.

Kuwait finished the tournament without a loss after defeating a strong German side that until today had also not faced a single defeat.

Having won the toss, Asif Khan decided to bat first but the Germans struggled against the off-breaks of Saud Qamar with the 30-year-old claiming five scalps in front of his local crowd.

It was then up to Qamar to steer his side to victory with the right-handed batsman making 45 not out at the close of Kuwait's innings and sealing the side its first-ever trophy. Qamar strong effort with the bat came after another fine performance with the bat from Player of the Tournament Bhatti who added 39 to the total.

The victorious Kuwait captain Hisham Mirza said upon receiving the trophy from ICC Board Director and Bangladesh Cricket Board Chairman Mustafa Kamal: "To win this tournament is simply fantastic especially as it is on our home turf. We are delighted to win what is the first trophy Kuwait cricket has won in its history.

"I am extremely pleased with the way my team has performed this tournament and we are all looking forward to the tournament in Botswana which I am sure will offer us some new challenges."

Meanwhile, Germany captain Khan was equally pleased with his side's performance this tournament that ultimately led them to qualify for Division 7.

"I think our spinners really troubled the teams here in Kuwait and it's unfortunate we've not managed to win today but to know we're heading to Botswana is a great feeling.

"The side has worked extremely hard to get here and the qualification is even more special as this whole tournament we played on turf wickets, of which we have none in Germany," said Khan.

In the third/fourth play-off Vanuatu managed to take things down to the wire against Zambia and sent the Africans crashing out of Division 8 after a dazzling century from captain Andrew Mansale.

The Pacific Islanders were spoiling from yesterday's defeat against Germany and were set the challenging target of 274 after Allan Nsensha smashed his way to 82 hitting seven fours and five sixes in the process.

Vanuatu struggled to take wickets but some strong fielding meant the side restricted the flow of runs by the Zambians.

When the time came for Vanuatu to bat, captain Mansale led from the front after the early dismissal of Damian Smith for seven runs. Mansale scored his maiden century of the tournament and stuck out the innings till the end after the departure of Jonathon Dunn, Simpson Obed, Trevor Langa and Patrick Matautaava.

It was up to Mansale and Freddie Timakata to seal the victory with Mansale fittingly scoring the winning runs as the side ground out the runs to win a match that at one point seemed destined to be Zambia's, but poor fielding and bowling meant a win for Vanuatu and the side now remains in Division 8.

In the other play-offs, Gibraltar failed to perform with the bat and was restricted to 121 in just 41.4 overs after some superb bowling from Suriname captain Shazam Ramjohn and Arun Gokoel. The duo claimed three wickets each, with the latter managing impressing figures of 3-7.

Suriname's batting line-up held together today with Brahma Prasad and Anthony Seeraj leading the way to help the side to a seven-wicket win for the South Americans.

Gibraltar's long-standing captain Christian Rocca along with former wicketkeeper Richard Buzalgo have both announced their retirement now the side have been relegated from the division and must now go back to the European regional qualifiers.

In the seventh/eighth play-off, Bhutan recorded a last-ball two wickets victory over The Bahamas. After a disappointing tournament with both bat and ball, Jigme Singye and Manoj Adhikari came to the party for the Asian side and helped them secure a positive end to a disappointing tournament.

Singye claimed 5-23 in 6.3 overs while team-mate Tandin Wangchuk ripped through the Bahamian top order, dismissing Greg Taylor and Narenda Ebanayake early on and then later removing opening batsman Mark Taylor too leaving Singye to clear up the lower order.

When the time came to knock off the runs, Adhikari's 58 was the cornerstone of Bhutan's innings, but it came down to Phuntsho Wangdi to score the winning runs off the final ball diving over the line and securing Bhutan its first and only victory of the tournament.

Score summaries (Final Day):

Final at Hubara: Germany 163-8, 50 overs (Leslie 35, Fernando 32; Qamar 5-28)

Kuwait 164-6, 33.1 overs (Bhatti 39, Qamar 45 not out; Haider 3-38)

Kuwait won by six wickets

Third/Fourth play-off at Unity: Zambia 272-5, 50 overs (Nsensha 82, I Patel 51; John 2-44)

Vanuatu 273-5, 48.2 overs (A Mansale 124 not out, Dunn 62; Banda 2-44)

Vanuatu won by five wickets

At KEC: Gibraltar 121 all out, 41.4 overs (Rocca 26, Buzaglo 40; Ramjohn 3-19, Gokoel 3-7)

Suriname 123-3, 27.1 overs (Prasad 33, Seeraj 33)

Suriname won by seven wickets

At Sulabiya: Bahamas 167 all out, 35.3 overs (M Taylor 58, M Ford 31; Singye 5-23, Wangchuk 3-27)

Bhutan 168-8, 50 overs (Adhikari 58; Perera 2-21)

Bhutan won by two wickets

Final Standings