Teenager Moherndl earns island manager's praise

GUERNSEY came through victors in a nail-biter of a match against a Horsham Select XI. Batting first against a strong team made up of top Sussex league players at the small Roffey Cricket Club with a lightning fast outfield, Guernsey's 283 was deemed a below-par score for the ground.

The Sarnians looked out of it at times as the home side made a good fist of things but finished just 22 runs short in the hot summer conditions of the longest day of the year.

'We thought that it was a very gettable total,' said Horsham captain Simon Shivnarain.

'We were happy to chase 280 with the batting line-up we had. Guernsey didn't take advantage of the short boundary, but then again we didn't either.'

For once, neither of Guernsey's normally reliable duo of Ami Banerjee and Jeremy Frith went on to score the runs on which the greens' total was based.

The Cobo player went for 30 and the Indian for 19, thanks to a smart stumping by Will Howard off Australian Shane Maggs' Chinaman delivery.

Captain for the day Stuart Le Prevost and Divan van den Heever both batted sensibly by blocking out some good balls and smashing anything loose.

Andre van Rooyen joined Le Prevost in the middle when van den Heever was caught by Johan Brouer in the deep off Mark Rasnussen's seam bowling the ball after he got his half century.

Van Rooyan hit the shot of the day in his 30 - a straight six off Maggs that clattered into a neighbouring house's back garden.

Le Prevost soon got to his 50 and Aaron Scoones and Kris Moherndl both batted well later on to ensure that their side reached the last of their allotted 50 overs.

Guernsey struck early in the field as they removed opener Mike Norris for a golden duck as he touched a leg-side ball from van Rooyan that was well-caught by keeper Oliver.

The other opener, Andre de Beer, looked a dangerous player but he soon went as Van Rooyen had him finally caught by Banerjee at gully.

Number three Brouer smashed a quick-fire 40 off 28 balls but the visitors kept taking regular wickets and although the home side were going at eight runs an over, the game looked to be going Guernsey's way as their opponents found themselves 106 for six.

Yet their batting line-up did not seem to weaken as the wickets fell and their tail went on to make the majority of their runs.

Maggs was brilliantly caught and bowled by Frith for 37 and Rob Nevins chipped in with 22 runs.

The game was slipping out of Guernsey's reach as the home side started to look the favourites needing only 46 to win off nine overs with two wickets in hand.

But a brilliantly pragmatic move by Banerjee, who had come on to replace the poor Scoones, saw Frith go to slip from mid-on to the left-handed Chris Garcia, who looked good on 22.

Two balls later, Frith caught Garcia off the Indian's bowling and again the momentum swung back to Guernsey.

Richard Veillard caught Ed Henderson off Tim Duke, who had bowled brilliantly alongside Banerjee at the death, to finish the match.

Island manager Dave Hearse was pleased with his team's performance, especially with the bat, and with 16-year-old Moherndl who was playing for Guernsey for the second time.

'They were very strong opposition and despite what some people consider to be our class players - Ami and Jeremy - not performing, we showed that we have strength in depth,' he said.

'Young Kris batted maturely as there were still a lot of overs left when he came in. He bowled well and I am very pleased with his attitude and approach to the game. He is definitely one for the near future if he progresses the way he is at the moment.'