Barker out to rescue ailing GICC

THE Guernsey Island Cricket Club is in crisis. The island's social cricket club announced at their AGM that they have lost both their club captain and their general matches manager and that their finances are also in a bad state. The GICC has suffered in recent years from a decline in interest from cricketers on Guernsey.

'It hasn't looked good for a while,' said GICC fixtures secretary, John Barker.

'But I'm determined not to give up without a very good fight. I've had some calls from people looking to give us sponsorship and I'm determined to get an up-to-date database of players who want to play.'

Barker has sent out a letter to all members asking them to supply their contact details. The letter also comments that the AGM was very poorly attended.

The club is currently without a club captain after Robbie Moore handed in his resignation. John Wood after a few years as general matches manager has also resigned.

It is understood that Wood became disillusioned of trying to arrange to get 11 cricketers onto the pitch for GICC. A task that became increasingly difficult as more domestic league cricket is being played and cricketers generally cannot find time for a more social game.

With the grass wicket at Port Soif up and running this season and with the square hopefully to be restored at Memorial Field, the island will be able to accommodate more touring teams.

As a result, the GICC will have a fuller fixture list in the upcoming years, and Barker is keen not to see the club that goes back to the 1890s, fall by the wayside.

'We're determined not to see the club go pear shape,' he said.

'But we're positive about the future.'

Barker wants to hear from players who want to play instead of going out and trying to find them.

So far for this season the club has matches organised with Melton St Audrey's, the Royal Logistical Corps, the Richview Taverners from Dublin and the MCC among others.

He is particularly keen for players who can play midweek to contact him. Team sheets are up on the club's board at the KGV so players to put their names forward for matches.

'We want to encourage people to come forward,' said Barker.

'We don't want players to wait to be asked. We want players to be proactive.

'We want to get some enthusiasm going again.'

For more information, contact John Barker on 723358 in office hours.

n JERSEY may have stepped into France's shoes.

The French national cricket team were due to visit to play Guernsey in a 50-over game on Saturday 15 July. The following day, it was also planned that the two sides would take part in the island's first ever international Twenty20 match.

These have been now been scrapped as France have pulled out of the trip due to financial reasons. The Guernsey Cricket Board chairman, Dave Piesing, hopes that Jersey will now fill the void. Both Channel Islands teams feature in August's European Division Two competition in Glasgow.

'Jersey want to play us on Sunday 16 July,' said Piesing. 'It would be a 50-over game and probably having up to 14 players being used. It will be very much a warm up game for Glasgow.

'We don't want to detract anything from the inter-insulars.'