Ben Ward hopes Jersey can win their remaining ICC Challenge League A matches as preparation for the next stage of World Cup qualification.

Leg spinner Ward has taken five wickets in each of Jersey's two matches in the final round of Challenge League games in Kenya.

He had figures of 5-49 in the win over Papua New Guinea before taking 5-28 against the hosts on Sunday.

The wins secured Jersey the Challenge League A title and a place in the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier play-off in Nepal in December - the second of three qualifying stages for the 2027 Cricket World Cup in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.

"I think going unbeaten is something that you as a cricketer will always want," Ward told BBC Jersey.

"It's not always going to happen the way that you want it, but I think that is our goal.

"More so our goal is the big picture - play these games with good intensity, tournament intensity, and maybe even try out a few new things, a few new tactics that may work on a larger scale.

"Playing against better opposition we'll have to probably be more tactically aware than relying solely on our skills, so it's going to be a good learning experience and these three games coming up are against strong opposition, so if we continue playing the way we can and implementing new skills, then it's even more exciting."

Jersey still have to play Kuwait, Denmark and Qatar in Nairobi as they plot a return to the second stage of qualifying for the Cricket World Cup, having reached the same stage three years ago.

It comes as Jersey's global stock continues to rise - they missed out on a place at this year's T20 World Cup on net run rate having beaten Scotland and narrowly lost to the Netherlands in the final round of European qualifying.

"It will be a step up, but we've got a good bunch of guys, we've got some strong, strong players and most importantly we're a real team unit, we're all mates," added Ward, who plays his club cricket in South Africa for Cape Town-based Durbanville.

"We get on well, we know when someone's not at their best and we help lift them up again.

"These teams that play at that higher level are obviously professionals, they've got contracts, they do that as their main job, where most of us are working other jobs.

"But what we have is that unity of growing up playing cricket together and knowing each other inside and out.

"We're ready for it and we've played some serious cricket in this and hopefully we can move that forward."

In the meantime, Ward is focused on continuing to help his native island out in Nairobi.

Jersey have lost just one of their 12 ICC Challenge League matches - the six-team round-robin event sees sides come together once a year for three years to play each other, with the top two progressing to the next stage of Cricket World Cup qualification.

And while Jersey's batters have impressed - Zak Tribe has hit 215 runs while his brother, Glamorgan batter Asa, has chipped in with 95 - Ward has been the pick of Jersey's bowling attack.

"It's been coming out of the hand quite nicely to say the least," he added.

"I've definitely bowled better for less and I've definitely bowled worse for more, maybe not five-fers in a row, that's almost unheard of in some aspects, but I'm very, very happy with where my cricket is at the moment.

"It's not just one person - I may have got five wickets in this game, but our batters put on an unbelievable score, our other bowlers put on a lot of pressure, and to have Jake Dunford behind the stumps the way he is, he's an unbelievable wicketkeeper.

"For me, at the top of my mark, I feel like if I get anywhere near the batter's bat or if they even think about leaving their crease, they've got no chance with him behind the stumps.

"So it's a good little team within a team that we have there, but for me personally, it feels like it's coming out quite well and we'll see how it goes - you can only play what's in front of you."