CI believe they could shock a few

GUERNSEY dominate the Channel Islands team going to the World Eight-ball Pool Championships in Blackpool. Of the seven-strong team for the competition at the Norbreck Castle Hotel, six are Sarnians. They are team captain Andy Mildner, Tristan Ozanne, Adam Shorto, Adrian Lihou, Adrian Holley and island champion Martyn Desperques.

Ady Bougourd is the only the Jersey player making the trip as the team takes on the likes of England, Australia, France and Ireland.

Mildner is not sure how well they will do.

'Difficult to tell, really,' said the 33-year-old accountant from Epsom.

'We're all experienced so we could spring an upset. We're hoping to take a few scalps and take it from there.

'We've had a few close matches over the years with some big countries.'

At last year's championships, the Channel Islands came 12th out of 14 teams. Desperques was the team's highest individual finisher in 50th place from 128 players.

Mildner feels that one of his team's strengths is experience at this level.

'Ady Holley has been going for the last 10 years,' he said.

'Bougourd has been going for plenty of years and it's Desperques' fifth time.

'There are no rookies in the team and everyone has been exposed to the experience. Everyone knows what to expect and everyone knows what to do.'

The finals of the team event will be shown live on Sky Sports while the quarter-finals, the semis and the final of the individual competition will also be screened.

The Channel Islands team in the opening two days take on Ireland, Spain, South Africa, Wales and England.

The action kicks off for them at 6.30pm on Monday when they face the strong national French team.

'Historically we've lost to them although we did beat them in the European Championships in Jersey a couple of years ago,' said Mildner.

'But last year they drilled us by way of a small revenge. We'll be turning up cold but we may be hotter than them. It's difficult to say, we'll see.'