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At Whitehaugh, Paisley, Norway celebrated their return to the Second Division with a four-wicket win over France, after bowling their opponents out for 110 in 34.2 overs. Having won the toss and elected to bat, the French quickly found themselves in trouble on a wicket which was never easy after a couple of days of rain, sometimes lifting sharply and occasionally keeping low.

Norwegian opening bowlers Aamir Waheed and Mudassar Ahmed Bhatti exploited these conditions effectively, Waheed removing Jonathan Houghton with the third ball of the innings and Bhatti dismissing danger-man Arun Ayyavooraju with a great yorker with the total on 30. Bhatti then had his namesake Waseem Bhatti caught behind off a fine edge to make it 50 for three, the first of four victims for Norway’s keeper Munawar Ahmed.

Tahir Saeed was meanwhile batting well at the other end, and it was not until Aziz Ataul and Zeeshan Ali replaced the opening attack that the fourth wicket fell, Thushara Korala Gamage caught at cover with the total on 72. Tahir holed out to deep mid-off for 28 in the following over, and France faced an uphill battle to post a reasonable score.

Zeeshan and Aziz picked up another wicket each, and then with only 26 overs gone Waheed and Bhatti came back for their second spells. Each took one more wicket, reducing France to 97 for nine, but a determined last-wicket stand saw them through to 110 before Aziz, replacing Waheed, secured the final breakthrough with his second ball.

Waheed finished with three for 31 and Bhatti with three for 45.

The early end to the innings meant that Norway had to face nine overs before lunch, in the course of which they lost opener Shahbaz Butt in taking the total to 25. The wicket was now playing easier, and with the outfield also quickening up it was clear that the French side were getting the worse of the conditions.

The Norwegians brought the score to 39 from 13 overs before French skipper Shabir Hussain brought off-spinner Léopold Brumant into the attack, and he broke through with the third ball of his first over, conceding a four and then immediately bowling Manojkumar Kanagaratnam. France were now able to turn the screw, seamer Javed Ijaz getting rid of Shahid Ahmed and then opener Sameer Sachdev after a dogged innings of 26 off 64 balls. At 53 for four Norway were looking decidedly shaky.

The game was swung back their way by a fifth-wicket stand of 56 – the highest of the match – between captain Zeeshan Ali and wicketkeeper Munawar Ahmed. Munawar was very much the junior partner, Zeeshan hitting 44 from only 39 balls with five boundaries. By the time he was caught at mid-off off Shabir Hussain, Norway were on the brink of victory at 109 for five, but there was time for one more twist as Zaheer Ashiq was stumped first ball. Six balls later Aziz Ataul hit the winning single, and Norway had announced their arrival with a notable win.

With Jersey and Israel taking a point apiece from their cancelled first-round match, Norway now have an excellent chance of reaching the semi-finals when the competition goes into its second phase next week.