Banerjee, Biggins hit centuries

AMI BANERJEE produced an all-round display of the highest quality to lead a Guernsey XI to a convincing 129-run win over Twickenham yesterday. Optimists' Indian maestro struck a superb 156 not out before taking three for 24 with some outstanding fast bowling.

Captain Andy Biggins also reached the magical treble figures, scoring exactly 100, as he shared in a match-winning partnership of 217 with his clubmate. But the two batsmen's knocks could have hardly been more contrasting.

After electing to bat first on a baking hot day, the home side soon found themselves in a spot of trouble against the quick bowling of Ben Dennett and Justin Scriven. Both openers were dismissed for ducks.

Mark Clapham got a good one first up from Scriven and then Glenn Milnes walked when he got a small edge to the wicket-keeper off Dennett. Guernsey were seven for two with just 14 balls having been bowled.

The next wicket was not to fall until the 44th over.

However, Banerjee and Biggins were both up against it early on as the ball beat the bat on numerous occasions. The skipper also received a bouncer to the ribs that caused him a lot of discomfort and later prevented him from fielding, leaving Jeremy Frith to take charge.

But Banerjee was soon finding the middle of the bat and his strokeplay was simply magnificent once he was in full stride.

Boundaries came all-around the wicket as he demonstrated the perfect execution of the straight drive, square cut, flick through square leg and the backfoot forcing shot through the covers. His full repertoire was on show.

Biggins was totally different and perseverance proved to be the key to his innings.

For the majority of his 122-ball stay at the crease he was having trouble timing the ball as several aerial shots evaded the fielders. The couple that did go to hand were dropped.

But he continued to graft and for a brief spell between 50 and 75 he played some decent shots, including a delightful reverse sweep for four.

The Indian was first to bring up his hundred with three runs down to the vacant fine leg area while Biggins' milestone came, almost fittingly, with an under-edged cut past the keeper. He was dismissed soon after when he holed out to wide long on.

Banerjee kept going until the end of the 50 overs, facing 160 balls and hitting 17 fours in his 156.

Ben Driver was the other man dismissed for 12 as Guernsey finished on 279 for four.

Mark Renouf and Pierre Moody kept things tight at the start of the reply and the latter should have taken the first wicket but saw two chances go to ground in one over. It was the Rovers man who did claim the initial breakthrough having Alastair Vokes caught by Justin Ferbrache.

Edward Paxton and Dennett then added 36 before the former yorked himself when coming down the wicket to Driver and wickets fell regularly from that point.

Dennett looked the best batsman of the side, top scoring with 29 before Banerjee responded to being hit for four by bowling him the next ball. Banerjee also accounted for Matthew Bendelow in the same fashion.

Then off spinners Gary Rich and Milnes both claimed three wickets between them before Banerjee returned to clean up Scriven.

An awful mix-up between William Wright and Paul Johnson left Guernsey with one wicket to get and it came from the surprising combination of Nick Chambers and 12th man Jamie Nussbaumer.

'Once we had got two batsmen in the bin with zeros to their names it could have gone a lot worse,' said manager Dave Hearse.

'Ami batted excellently, Biggsy rode his luck a bit but importantly he hung around, and then it was a very good bowling and fielding display well organised by Frithy.'