The Isle of Man senior cricket squad are en route to Rotterdam to play in the first European qualifying tournaments for the World T20 Championship.

The island will play five teams - Italy, Jersey, Finland, Spain and Belgium - with the top two teams of each group playing next year in another qualifying tournament.

The Manx team, which begins its campaign against Belgium on Wednesday, is predominantly a young side with a smattering of players who have experienced tournament play in the past.

They will be confident of a good show, but they will need to be at their best.

Italy are expected to be the strongest team and they have a history of good performances, including a ninth-place finish in 2013.

Isle of Man’s coach and cricket development officer Greig Wright said: ’The squad has trained and adapted well over the last seven weeks and we can ask no more from them with what the lads have done.

’We have the youngest squad by far, but if we can remain positive and focused when things go against us we can compete.

’Ability wise we have some match winners and the nature of T20 cricket says if one of these can come off we stand a chance against anyone.

’The results of Scotland and Holland against England in similar competitions is something we have to remember and while not wanting the underdog tag, realism says we will have this in at least four of the games.

’Our aim is to enjoy the experience on and off the field, be positive as a team and after that what happens, happens.’

Jersey go in to the tournament in buoyant mood.

Their coach, Neil MacRae, believes they have the capacity to win all their games despite the absence of a handful of leading players. They have beaten Italy three times including an exciting game in Jersey in 2015.

The other countries - Spain, Finland, or the Finnish Bears as they are known locally, and Belgium - have a mixture of European and South Asian players and they may not be as strong.

Hopefully, the island lads will get decent results against these sides.

Island’s squad:

Matthew Ansell (Captain), Danny Kniveton, Adam McAuley, Joe Burrows, George Burrows, Sam Mills, Nick White, Ollie Webster, Charlie Beard, Eddie Beard, Chris Langford, Kieran Cawte, Nathan Knights, Corbin Liebenberg.

Schedule:

Wednesday, August 29

10am Isle of Man v Belgium

2pm Finland v Isle of Man

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Thursday, August 30

2pm Isle of Man v Jersey

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Saturday, September 1

10am Spain v Isle of Man

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Sunday, September 2

10am Italy v Isle of Man

Andy Coulson