For beautifully detailed match reports written by people with the time to do so, look no further than the offerings of Andrew Nixon and Sammy Edwards in this Facebook group. What I intend to try to do is to just capture the highlights of the tournament so far, and what it might mean for those concerned.
Day One
Match of the Day: Bermuda, a side in apparent free-fall, took on Scotland, the team I picked out after the warm-ups to be a contender for the final. Even when JJ Tucker's men posted 149 on the back of a selection of pint-sized contributions, everyone expected Scotland to knock it off with ease. Even when MacLeod ran himself out and Machan holed out, the Celtic side were still some way from panic stations. However, Derrick Brangman got the big scalps of Berrington and Coetzer before a tail that started at six was polished off by Tucker and Robinson. Bermuda produced a win that put them right back on the cricketing radar. | Jacobi Robinson made a fantastic start to his Qualifier. | Elsewhere:
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Day Two
Match of the Day: Ireland took on Canada at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium, no doubt expecting a moderately easy victory. Without ever particularly stamping their authority on things, Ireland scrape together 168 for five, thanks in no small part to a career-best 39 off 24 for Trent Johnston, who was promoted to number five. After losing their first two wickets from their first two balls, Canada have certainly made better starts to chases, but Ashish Bagai and Ruvindu Gunasekera set about putting that right. both posted half-centuries before the latter fell, and Jimmy Hansra tried to push on towards the target. It all eventually came down to Jimmy Hansra needing a boundary to tie and a maximum to win from Alex Cusack's final delivery, but can only manage to scamper back for two. Ireland make it two in two, while Canada make it the opposite. | Rakep Patel hit 10 sixes in a 45-ball 103, and he was on the losing side against Nepal. | Elsewhere:
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Day Three
Match of the Day: Papua New Guinea, proud owners of two wins from two games, met Afghanistan, and weren't expected to continue their winning streak. Nobody told Tony Ura, though, and he continued on his merry way to top score in PNG's 167. Whether or not that target was out of reach became academic when the rain came into play. Once the chase was reduced to 69 from seven overs, there was only going to be one winner, despite the best efforts of Chris Amini and Norman Vanua almost stealing a win that looked impossible with the score at 33 for one just twelve balls in. | Tony Ura's side can feel a little aggrieved to be pick-pocketed by Duckworth-Lewis. | Elsewhere: Only three further matches on the third day, but no shortage of entertainment:
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Day Four
Match of the Day: Today's best game was probably the one to which least attention would have been paid. Italy and Uganda are hardly headline-grabbing teams, but Gareth Berg (with the bat) and Frank Nsubuga (with the ball) showed that there was still high-quality cricket to be found. Needing 149 for victory, Uganda were always struggling thanks to some competent bowling from Italy, but fireworks from Arthur Kyobe were enough to just keep them in the hunt. Eventually, it fell to a nerveless Richard Okia at number eight to see his team over the line with only one wicket and one ball left. This meant that Canada and Denmark are now the only sides who remain winless. | Every Ugandan batsman was called on to thwart Italy. | Elsewhere: Only four games were played once again, but there was yet more excellent cricket:
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