Jersey must 'embrace' being favourites

Jersey head coach Paul Hutchison says his side have to embrace being favourites for their T20 World Cup qualifier next month.

The team head to Germany as top seeds in European Qualifier B on the back of series wins over Denmark and Guernsey in recent weeks.

Jersey automatically made the European finals last year but must win the tournament in Germany to make the same stage this year.

"Hopefully we'll progress through the rounds and get to the final," Hutchison told BBC Sport.

"If it pans out as we expect it will, then it'll be Germany that we see in the final and then it comes down to who's best on the day and hopefully we can we can use that and get ourselves into a tournament next year.

"You can't shy away from it, we are seeded number one, Germany are number two. If you try and shy away from it, I think you go in on the back foot.

"I think you've got to embrace that we are favourites and go out there and perform accordingly."

Jersey have seen their more established players hit form in recent weeks.

Glamorgan's Asa Tribe made half-centuries in both wins over Denmark earlier this month while Wellington's Nick Greenwood smashed 85 off 50 balls against and Jonty Jenner hit 80 not out off just 31 balls against Guernsey on Saturday.

Skipper Charles Perchard had two three-wicket hauls with the ball against Guernsey while fellow bowlers Ben Ward and Dan Birrell took three wickets each against Denmark.

It's form that Hutchison hopes can make the difference in Germany when they open their campaign against Serbia on 7 July.

"When you're going into tournament cricket, you need your more established and experienced players firing, it makes the job for the rest a lot easier," Hutchison said.

"If they're misfiring then it's up to the others to pick up the pieces and that's not always easy in tournament cricket.

"So it's nice that the more experienced ones are starting to find some form."