In early November Gibraltar’s cricketers set off to compete in World Cricket League Division 8, the ICC’s flagship competition for non-Test countries and part of the qualifying process for ICC World Cup tournaments. Cricket in the Middle East was something of a new adventure for the party and much was anticipated in terms of team and individual performance.

Grouped with the Bahamas, old friends Germany and Zambia it was imperative to start off with a positive performance. Kieron Ferrary (52) and Chris Phillips (35) built a solid platform and at 125 for 3 off 30 overs a competitive total was expected. Unfortunately the tempo dropped away in the next 60 balls and Gibraltar ended on 213 for 5. Ian Farrell (35) and Mark Bacarese (45) also chipped in, but this was a disappointing total as 260 plus should have been achievable.

In the field the opening bowlers started brightly whilst the Bahamian batsmen got used to the pitch. The initial breakthrough came courtesy of Iain Latin’s acrobatic catch off his own bowling but other hands were not so secure. Matt Hunter’s persistence was rewarded with his first senior wicket but the Bahamas were rarely troubled while Grant Taylor was at the crease and they ran out winners by 7 wickets and with almost six overs to spare. Kabir Mirpuri offered the most control with watchful batsmen only taking 28 runs off his ten miserly overs.

Germany promised a tougher challenge on the second day and so it proved. Despite Hunter quickly claiming the wicket of opener Rajudeen, Khan and Fernando ran up a mammoth partnership – the latter thanks to a missed opportunity when still on just a single and several good shouts for LBW. This allowed the Germans to rejig their batting line up in order to provide fireworks late in the innings, Hassan the main pyrotechnist with a brutal 48 off 26 balls.

Harkins added his first scalp of the tour to Hunter’s pair but the only other bowler to come to terms with holding back the rampant batsman was Ferrary who ended wicketless despite creating chances that were spurned in the outfield. Germany ended on 363 for 5 in their 50 overs, a tough task indeed.

Gibraltar’s reply was based around Christian Rocca. Batting at nearly a run a ball his innings ended cruelly on 99 when an attempted sweep ran down from his gloves and removed the legside bail. Aside from the captain, only Bacarese (28), Harkins (27) and Richard Buzaglo (23) offered support but it was not enough as Gibraltar totalled 233 for 8 at the close.

After a rest day spent exploring Kuwait City Zambia were next up, a largely unknown team who had performed poorly chasing only 128 two days before. By now Gibraltar had only the slim mathematical possibility of winning convincingly and hoping that other team results would fall favourably in order to qualify on net run rate. Captain Rocca inserted the opposition hoping for early inroads but both openers rode their luck putting on 166 for the first wicket.

None of the seam bowlers offered much in the way of control as the free hitting batsmen took a liking to the pace of the pitch. Of the spin attack Mirpuri took one wicket while Ferrary was the most economical, Harkins picked up 2 for 29 off just 5 overs bowled. Pick of the attack was Bacarese with 3 for 39. Zambia finished on 286 for 6, theoretically achievable but requiring application and fortune.

In reply the Gibraltar innings failed to spark initially. The Zambian bowers bowled straight and choose their length carefully in a disciplined display. With only 49 on the board three of the main scorers from the previous games had come and gone, while Ferrary searched for a partner to stay with him. Bacarese went for his shots trying to keep up with the run rate until offering a catch on 14, Coram (19) stayed with him until a hamstring injury hampered his running and the innings petered out on 194 for 9 at the close, with Ian Farrell another injury concern. The only success from this game had been the first Gibraltarian century scored in a full ICC tournament with Ferrary eventually taking his total to 105 off 124 deliveries.

This meant a fourth place group finish and relegation out of the World Cricket League system. The only remaining target was to finish as high as possible for ranking places and national pride. The first stage to this being a fourth game, against Bhutan, after another rest day.

New captain, Iain Latin, called correctly and Gibraltar opted to bat first. Ferrary (52) again led the way early on before the middle order came good. Bacarese (62) and Harkins (51) composed a solid platform allowing Iain Latin (30 off 17 balls) and Kayron Stagno, a whirlwind debut 25* off 11, to cut loose in the closing overs. The old adage of three or four partnerships allowing a competitive total to be amassed proved correct once again as Gibraltar closed on 279 for 7.

Bhutan’s openers weathered the initial storm from Hunter and Harkins, reaching 63 before the introduction of Bacarese, in a man-of-the-match winning spell, saw three wickets fall and the innings stall. Latin bowled economically to back him up and, with Seb Suarez taking two wickets in the powerplay, Bhutan stumbled to 162 for 5 with overs disappearing. Yonten flourished briefly before being run out, again by Suarez, and the innings closed for 223 in the last over.

This left the final game against last year’s relegation partners Suriname. Stalwarts Christian Rocca, having given up the captaincy the game before, and Richard Buzaglo chose this moment to confirm their retirement from the game after this tournament. Latin again called correctly, five out of five in Kuwait, and Gibraltar strode out to bat first.

Ramjohn hadn’t bought into the gameplan however and bowled his allocation straight through, returning 3 for 19 and ripping the heart out of the top order. With Rocca being unfortunately run out and Ferrary failing for once it was left to Harkins (17) and Buzaglo (40) to try to salvage the game. The introduction of the Gokoel brothers claimed the last 5 wickets for only 40 runs as Gibraltar finished on 121 in just under 42 overs.

Defending such a small total was never going to be easy and Latin juggled through six bowlers in trying to take wickets. Despite creating changes too many catches missed in the first ten overs made the game all but over. Mirpuri, Bacarese and Ferrary battled to take the match as far as they could but Suriname ended the most one-sided fixture of Gibraltar’s week in the 28th over, winning by seven wickets.

For both Gibraltar and Suriname this was their second relegation in as many tournaments. For both the privilege of automatic participation in these events has now been removed and places must now be earned through regional qualification before the next event in 2012. This will not prove easy and a robust analysis must now take place to target preparation programs and meaningful competition that will allow those players chosen to represent their country next year an opportunity to prepare properly for the European T20 Division One tournament – a game that recent results against the Isle of Man and the MCC suggest that Gibraltar is not best adept at!

Individual highlights of the tour are positive; Ferrary’s hundred and two half-centuries, Bacarese’s wickets and runs, Harkins’ form with the bat, Hunter’s emergence with the ball and Stagno’s brief cameo all offer something to work from. However, the overall consistency throughout the team is not yet there and several individuals will no doubt feel disappointed with their contributions.

Twenty20 is a much faster format of the game than it’s 50 over sibling. Games can be won or lost in the space of just two or three overs and it’s vital that players are thinking all the time and delivering within their role. Whilst the batting is headed in the right direction it still needs to deliver on a team basis more often. There have to be five, or preferably six, reliable bowlers who can deliver the ball into correct areas on the pitch to allow the captain to set fields and, once a chance has been created it has to be taken if results are to follow.

It is now very much up to the players who wish to take part in future tournaments to commit to the correct amount and type of training and preparation in order to perform when called on to do so, relying on ability shown in domestic games is not going to be sufficient to compete at international level. With the retirement of several of the more senior players over the past few years there will be even more of a necessity for the more experienced members of the squad, many of whom are still only in their mid-twenties, to deliver with bat, ball and in the field.

Training and preparation can increase performance levels, along with confidence and belief, but it will take a desire to do well and commitment to an agreed program in order for Gibraltar to return to higher level, longer format cricket and retain it’s status within that system.