Don't be complacent

ANDY BIGGINS has warned the Guernsey team not to expect Jersey to roll over easily in today's clash at the KGV. Following last year's 35-run victory at Grainville, most Sarnians expect rather than hope for more of the same.

But the island captain emphasised that his team were aware that taking anything for granted was extremely dangerous.

'We have to understand that complacency is one area where we could fall down but from the way we have played this year and, more importantly, the players' attitude, I do not think it is a factor within the squad,' he said.

'People have the right to expect us to do well, especially after last year, but I reckon this year is going to be harder - Jersey are at full strength and on the rebound.

'We played to our potential last year; we certainly batted as well as we could and it was a comfortable victory but it was not a hammering. So by definition we have to play as well or even better this year. There is no room for complacency.'

Biggins added that the team ethic that was now a major part of the whole island squad should push players even harder to perform.

'We have played well as a team but it has not been the same XI playing every game.

'Everyone in the squad has played well and those in the inter-insular XI owe it to the rest of them to give of their best. We have established a very good atmosphere in the whole set up,' he said.

The skipper acknowledged that his side was packed with big-game players and they were in form at exactly the right time.

Jersey have their own undoubted match-winners, although Biggins is a happy man to see that his former Optimists team-mate, Ward Jenner, was not in the side.

'I am surprised Ward is not playing. I look down the list and there are a couple of guys who we know are their big-game players and they have picked the side on form - but I would much rather play a Jersey side without Jenner in it.'

But he will still give the visitors the respect they deserve - something the Sarnians did last year - without going as far as to be intimidated by them.

'Where we went right last year was that we acknowledged the fact that Jersey are a good side. You do not win 10 inter-insulars on the trot otherwise and you do not become a bad side overnight.

'We respect them but if we worry about them, it could undermine us. We have proved that we are as good as them, if not a bit better.'

However, he had a complimentary word about his opposite number.

'They have an extrovert captain who is fantastic at leading them and you have to earn every run and every wicket. I have got a lot of respect for Dave Gorman as a captain, a player and a person.'

When talking about his own island captaincy, Biggins admits that his job is made easier by the personnel at his disposal, most of whom have more than one string to their bow.

'We have got a team that can deal with situations when they arise. That is a nice position to be in,' he said.

'More than any other game you play in, the inter-insular is about accepting your role in the side. In the inter-insular, very rarely do you get one person dominating the game.

'Sometimes it is a different role from what you are used to. For example, I will probably be batting at five or six when I normally bat four, Stuart Le Prevost is the same and Tim Duke usually bats in the top three and he could be as low down as number seven.

'But you have still got a job to do. It is not set in stone and you have got to adapt to the situation - you just don't know what is going to happen.

'I could not tell you for certain who is going to open the bowling. I have my ideas but it could depend on several things when the time arises.'

But it is not the batting or the bowling on which Biggins focused as the vital aspect of the game.

Experience has taught him and several others in the team that inter-insulars can turn around very quickly if concentration is allowed to slip.

'One of the key areas is the fielding. It is about setting standards and setting them early.

'If someone does something a bit special, the whole team lifts their approach and it is bound to put the opposition on the back foot. Even if you just seem much more alert, it makes them cautious.

'You expect the fielding to take care of itself at this level but all it takes is a five-over spell where things go wrong and it can lose you the game.'

The last inter-insular at the KGV quickly sprang to the skipper's mind.

'2001 was a prime example. We let things slip in the field for five or six overs and they probably scored 30 or 40 runs more than they should have.

'It was Gorman and Craig Douglas on that occasion. They gained the initiative, established a partnership and we were powerless to do anything about it. We then lost early wickets because we had a higher total to chase and could not recover.'

At that match two years ago, Gorman won a vital toss. However, the KGV wickets are much improved from those days and it should make for an even contest no matter who bats first.

'The toss is not as important at the KGV as it is at Grainville now.

'I still think it is a wicket that might get you into trouble if you try and force the pace and in that respect perhaps batting first does help, but by no means is it the end of the world if you lose the toss,' Biggins said.

But whatever the outcome today, the Guernsey captain wanted to pay tribute to the efforts that his squad had put in during 2003.

'They have worked hard this season, really pushed themselves. I felt that towards the end of the 90s, people were getting some free rides.

'There are no free tickets for the Guernsey side this year,' he said.