Europe comes calling for trio

THREE of Guernsey's top young cricketers have been picked to joinup with the best in Europe. In April, Jamie Nussbaumer, James Mullen and Johnny Clark are off to Spain and the La Manga sport resort to undergo intensive week-long training programmes.

Nussbaumer has been selected for the European Cricket Council's cricket academy, a fact which will also see him play for the under-21 European side against England under-17s during the summer, while Mullen and Clark have made it into the ECC's Centre of Excellence.

The 18-year-old Nussb-aumer, who was named as Guernsey's young player of the year for 2005 and is part of Dave Hearse's senior island squad, was delighted by his call up after he was put forward by the Guernsey Cricket Board.

'I think getting young player of the year helps,' said Nussbaumer.

'They select the squad from paper.

'I'm delighted to have been selected.'

All-rounder Nussbaumer joins a 15-man squad made up of the best young cricketers from each ECC member countries, including the likes of Scotland, Ireland, Holland and Denmark.

The programme at La Manga runs from 17 to 24 April, followed by a week in July at Loughborough.

Last year the squad were put through their paces by coaches and specialists including former England captain and former South African wicket-keeper David Richardson.

The Europeans then have three one-day games against England under-17s and a two-day game against Warwick-shire under-19s.

This is undoubtedly going to be Nussb-aumer's biggest cricketing experience to date.

'Its going to be seriously tough but I'm looking forward to the challenge,' he said.

Under-16 island player Mullen and Clarke, a year younger, are in La Manga from 10 to 15 April when they will join 20-odd other promising cricketers from around the continent. The GCB's development coach Jason Shambrook was extremely happy with the inclusion of his two young charges.

'It's great,' he said.

'It gives them the opportunity to play with players of the same ability from around Europe. It's the result of all of the hard work the two boys have put in.'

Travelling with the pair will be Taverners player and young coach Johnny Orme, who recently passed his English Cricket Board level-one qualification. Orme will undergo special cricket coaching tuition that will in turn benefit local cricket.

'He'll work on his coaching,' said Sham-brook. 'He'll hopefully come back with a few more ideas as he'll be helping us through the summer.'