Pressure back on

Thursday 21st May 2009, 2:30PM BST.

Adil Hanif cuts strongly during his valuable 69 against Guernsey at the KGV yesterday. He shared in a fourth-wicket stand worth 178 with centurion Ashraf Yaqoob. (Picture by Peter Frankland, 0775688)

SINGAPORE is a step further away for Guernsey after they lost to Bahrain in their top-of-the-table clash yesterday.

To ensure they make the top two and Sunday’s final, which would see them qualify for Pepsi ICC World Cricket League Division Six in Singapore at the end of August, they now need to beat Nigeria today and then Suriname on Saturday.

Island manager Dave Hearse is remaining positive.

‘We won our first two games, so we’re still in a good position,’ said Hearse yesterday.

‘It’s a big game tomorrow against Nigeria. It’s possibly the biggest game in a long time with probably the most riding on it.

‘Today means we’ve got to win the last two.’

Up against an accomplished Bahraini batting line-up that set an imposing 257, their number four, Ashraf Yahoob, put in a man-of-the-math performance with 101.