Final year with white?

SATURDAY'S inter-insular could be the last played in traditional white. With both Guernsey and Jersey being granted ICC affiliate membership last month, the annual fixture - the 49th - between the two islands might undergo changes to correspond with ICC tournament rules.

Guernsey Cricket Board chairman Dave Piesing said there were many issues to be discussed this autumn with regards the future of the inter-insular, including what the players will wear.

'It could be that we go down the route of coloured clothing,' he said.

'It might be preferable to get used to the white Kookaburra ball that the ICC use with coloured clothing if two or three weeks later we are playing in an international tournament.

'It is one of many things that have not really been discussed yet, but will have to be talked about.'

On their tours to Scotland and Sussex this summer, the Guernsey squad played in green kit in preparation for the ICC events ahead.

Island manager Dave Hearse believes his players enjoyed the experience because it was part of what being an international team is about.

'It feels like something different, something new,' he said.

'Let's not hang on to the old things just for the sake of it being tradition. Yes, we have always played in white in the past, but people never had the opportunity to do what we are doing now. It is happening world-wide and we should embrace it.'

Ward Jenner, who has played for both islands, is someone who offered the other side of the argument.

The Jersey batman, who of course twice captained Guernsey in inter-insulars, would rather see white clothing kept as part of the annual encounter.

'From a purely personal point of view, I am a bit of a traditionalist when it comes to this one game of cricket. My viewpoint is that the inter-insular game should remember things that happened 20-30 years ago and try to replicate it.

'With regards the ICC membership, from next year Jersey will be playing Guernsey in ICC competition, in which case let's go for it. There will be plenty of opportunity where we can do whatever we want in line with what ICC regulations are, including coloured clothing.'

Jenner is vice-chairman of the Jersey Cricket Board and said that they have yet to hold any discussions on the matter.

However, he added: 'We do feel there should definitely be a separation between the inter-insular game and ICC cricket.'

n Sporting Club are set to remain in the KPMG CI Club Championship.

The Jersey club scratched from their opening group game with Optimists due to a drastic player shortage, which left them with up to 19 unavailable.

Guernsey Cricket Association weekend officer Dave Piesing revealed that due to the structure of the championship and the arrangements that go with it, it could ruin the competition for everyone else if they were expelled.

'They did not do it lightly. From what I have heard, they probably made the right decision because it would have been more of a debacle if they had played.

'They will suffer financially for pulling out of the game and the combination of that financial penalty and not picking up any points will hit them hard anyway, although they could still qualify for the semi-finals.'