Stuart Le Prevost praised his Guernsey side after it achieved an excellent four-wicket win over European rivals Gibraltar at the Pepsi ICC World Cricket League Division 7.

Le Prevost made a vital 45 in his side’s run chase, having at one stage needed nine runs an over to win.

“It was a great run chase by the team and the boys have done really well. We are all really pleased as everybody contributed,” said Le Prevost.

“I was disappointed to get out though as I wanted to take the team through to the end.”

Gibraltar looked like it had set an imposing target of 228 to win against hosts Guernsey, with Kieron Ferrary making an excellent 90 off 115 balls.

A mid-order collapse saw it reduced from 127-2 to 151-6, before an eighth wicket stand of 56 between Iain Latin (42 not out) and Kabir Mirpuri (15 not out) helped it to 227-7.

Opening batter Lee Savident (53) and Jeremy Frith (36) gave Guernsey a solid start, helping it to 105-1, but it fell behind the run rate required as Frith scored his innings off just 96 balls.

Captain Stuart Le Prevost then came into bat and smashed 45 off 41 balls to put his side back in with a chance of victory, but he fell to Ross Harkins with 34 still required, and it was left to Justin Meades to score the five runs required for victory in the last over.

Guernsey now faces Japan in its next match, in a game that is rearranged after Sunday’s torrential rain, and Le Prevost said that he won’t be complacent going into the match.

“We’re not going to take anything for granted. We will be going into the game fresh – we know it is a new game and a new day,” said Le Prevost.

Bahrain’s Imran Sajjad signalled his side’s intentions to gain promotion from the Pepsi ICC World Cricket League Division 7 after scoring a brilliant century in a 161-run win over Suriname.

His innings of 106 was key to Bahrain’s imposing total of 278-5, in a match reduced to 38 overs a side, with Adil Hanif and Azeem Ul Haque also scoring half centuries.

In reply, Qamar Saeed took 3-10 as it dismissed Suriname for just 117 all out.

“My coach told me that I needed to play my natural game, but in the first 20 overs I just scored ones and twos, before playing more attacking shots which is my natural game,” said Imran Sajjad.

“I think my team will win promotion this week and we are all very confident.”

In the other game of the day at KG Five, Nigeria recorded a dramatic victory over Japan winning by two wickets with just 11 balls remaining.

55 not out from Ko Irie helped Japan to 187-8 off 50 overs, before an exciting run chase saw Nigeria squeeze home.

Player of the Match Adekunle Adegbola (48), Akabogu Okwudili (32) and Olajide Bejide (30) were the key batters for the African side, with Gavin Beath (3-20) the pick of the Japanese attack.

“A victory was what we were all looking for,” said Adegbola, whose side takes on Suriname tomorrow.

“We knew that we only needed four runs an over, so we knew that we didn’t need to score a lot of boundaries, and just keep the score ticking over.

“The conditions are totally different to those in Nigeria so you have to adapt to the conditions. I am trying to acclimatize myself to the conditions but I am finding it very cold.”

The matches that were abandoned on Sunday will now be replayed on Tuesday, with the same venues as the original schedule.