Not so Sporting

SPORTING CLUB FRANCAIS have pulled out of today's KPMG CI Club Championship match with Optimists at the College Field. Injuries and weddings have left the Jersey outfit with up to 19 players unavailable.

'Rather than bring the game of cricket into disrepute, it was felt that scratching was the preferred option,' said an apologetic club statement.

But being awarded the 40 points has done little to lessen Optimists captain Mark Jefferies' frustration.

'These fixtures have been in the book since the start of the season,' he said.

'I'm surprised that they have not been able to get a team out. It seems to me that they have only been trying to get a team out for the last couple of days.

'All our boys were up for this and we are all very disappointed. Sporting Club was to be our biggest game of the season so far.

'Some of our South African boys haven't played much against Jersey sides and this would have been good blooding for the inter-insular. We want to play cricket.'

Questions will have to be answered as to whether SCF will now be disqualified from the competition.

The decision lies with the Guernsey Cricket Association and the Jersey equivalent.

If a club fails to field a team for the leagues in the island, the GCA has the power to expel them.

Weekend officer Dave Piesing does not believe that this measure is the right one in these circumstances.

'The GCA needs to speak to the JCA and we haven't got to that stage yet,' he said.

'There is no such provision in the CI league because you would have thought that this would never happen.

'Over here the historic precedents would say that they would be kicked out, but it's a stand-alone competition so it's a difficult one and to be honest, I don't know.

'I think that they have made the right decision but it is very disappointing.'