Electing to field first after winning the toss, Kuwait restricted Jersey to 224 all out in 50 overs. Charlie Brennan top-scored with 43 from 54 balls, while Scott van Breda contributed 40 off 62 deliveries and Asa Tribe made 33 from 47. Jersey recovered from early setbacks through useful middle-order partnerships but were unable to build the total needed to put Kuwait under sustained pressure.
Meet Bhavsar was the standout bowler for Kuwait, claiming five wickets for 25 runs from eight overs. His spell dismantled Jersey’s middle and lower order, with Benjamin Ward’s 18 and van Breda’s 40 unable to prevent the side from being bowled out on the final ball of the innings. Anudeep Chenthamara, Yasin Patel, Mohammed Aslam and Muhammad Aqif Farooq also took a wicket each.
Kuwait’s chase began aggressively, with Ravija Sandaruwan scoring 18 from nine balls before falling with the score at 25. Clinto Anto then took control, striking a superb 113 from 77 deliveries, including 13 fours and six sixes. He shared a decisive 158-run partnership with Bhavsar, who added 44 from 69 balls to put Kuwait firmly in command.
Jersey briefly fought back when Benjamin Ward dismissed both Anto and Bhavsar in quick succession, but the damage had already been done. Bilal Tahir, unbeaten on 22 from 26 balls, and captain Mohammed Aslam, who finished 17 not out from 22, guided Kuwait home at 225 for three in 33.4 overs.
Anto’s century was the defining contribution of the match, while Bhavsar’s all-round performance proved equally influential. Kuwait’s ability to recover quickly from the early loss and maintain a strong scoring rate ensured Jersey never had a realistic opportunity to defend their total.
The victory was an important result for Kuwait in the final round of Challenge League A, strengthening their campaign. Jersey, meanwhile, will look to respond in their remaining fixtures as the competition approaches its conclusion.
