Jersey put to the sword

A MAGNIFICENT 147-run partnership between Jamie Nussbaumer and Kris Moherndl led Guernsey under-19s to victory over Jersey at the KGV yesterday. Captain Nussbaumer hit a stunning 91 while Moherndl notched up a technically delightful 68 to help post the Sarnians' formidable total of 257.

In response, Jersey were all out for 164.

It was the first time the under-19 inter-insular has been played since 1992.

'I'm absolutely thrilled with the win,' said Guernsey team manager Dave Nussbaumer.

'Years of hard work have come to fruition. It was a great partnership between Jamie and Kris that undoubtedly won us the game.'

Guernsey were without Tim Ravenscroft, Ben Ferbrache and Peter Le Hegarat and having won the toss and deciding to bat, they found themselves plodding along at 95 for three in the 28th over.

But things sparked into life when Moherndl joined his Cobo teammate at the crease.

Nussbaumer, standing tall, hit the ball very hard. He played a chanceless innings except for when he was nearly run out by Sharma in the 50s.

Into the last 10 overs and nearing 200, the pair, who will be representing the senior island side in next week's European Division Two Championships in Glasgow, started to put their foot down.

This proved to be Nussbaumer's undoing when four overs from the end he went for a large swipe at Sharma and was caught at mid-wicket.

Soon after, Moherndl had a rush of blood and danced down the wicket to be stumped by Matt Hanley. His 68 had come off 66 balls.

The innings finished with more of a whimper than a bang as the Sarnians failed to capitalise on the last overs to get above 260.

'We should have got 270 in the end,' the manager said.

'But I'm very happy with the score. I wanted 250 at the start.'

With the bat Jersey had real difficulties dealing with Guernsey's opening attack of Jonny Warr and Chris Dravers.

It was like watching cricket in days gone by as two old-fashioned away swing medium pacers bowled a tight line and length on off stump.

Hanley went in the first over bowled by Warr, while Dravers got Jersey's captain Sam Dewhurst leg before with a full pitched delivery that the right-hander tried to flick to leg.

Tom Wherry and Machlalan started to get to grips with the situation to put on 32 runs before Moherndl came on. With his extra pace, he soon picked up both their wickets.

The introduction of some slower stuff then proved to be successful for the Sarnians.

Leg spinner Luke Nussbaumer bowled left-hander Will Golder with one that bit in the rough outside off stump in his first over. He was later on a hat-trick when he dismissed Lee Meloy and Simon Warren with consecutive deliveries, but Matt Seymour saw out the danger.

Number 10 Seymour with Dan Lundy then proceeded to halt the inevitable for their team as they put up some resistance.

Seymour especially was not afraid to give it a go.

However, after getting a run a ball 43, he must have been kicking himself when he hit a gift of a long hop from Luke Nussbaumer straight down Warr's throat at square leg.

Moherndl cleaned up Lundy six balls later to wrap things up.

'It's obviously disappointing to lose,' said Jersey's coach Ryan Driver.

'Guernsey batted very well, taking the singles.

'They kept wickets in hand, capitalised on this and scored quick runs at the end.

'When we batted it's always difficult when you lose quick early wickets.

'No one really got in and no one contributed in a big way with a large fifty or a hundred.'