Savident and Frith ready to conquer

DAVE HEARSE has called on Guernsey to return home from Glasgow in nine days' time with the European Second Division Championship. Today the island manager and his team start their journey to Scotland for their first International Cricket Council tournament since being granted affiliate membership last year.

Hearse is in a bullish mood.

'The goal is to go and win it,' he said.

'There are bigger and better things to be had like the European First Division, the ICC Trophy and then the World Cup in 2011. If the team plays to maximum effect, then they have a good chance.

'Obviously we don't know how we'll do because we don't know what the other sides are like.'

After a training session tomorrow afternoon, the Sarnians take on Gibraltar in their opening group game on Thursday.

'I think it's important we get a good start to get players playing to their maximum capability early on,' said Hearse.

'We don't know too much about the opposition, but they don't know too much about us.'

On Saturday, Guernsey face Germany and then on Sunday, Greece. Jersey are in the other group along with Norway, France and Israel.

The two top teams from both groups go through to next Tuesday's semi-finals. The final is the following day.

Guernsey's chances of reaching that final have been boosted by the availability of Lee Savident and Jeremy Frith.

The Guernsey Cricket Board successfully appealed after the ICC ruled that they were ineligible.

They had both been picked for the inaugural European squad that took on the MCC in Rotterdam at the end of June.

Frith subsequently dropped out when the problem initially came up while Savident opened the batting in the fixture.

The two all-rounders are undoubtedly Guernsey's finest players.

'In Jeremy and Lee we've got two outstanding bowlers and batsmen,' said Hearse.

'They have lots of experience and they are two outstanding fielders as well. They are key.

'I wouldn't say we wouldn't have a chance without them but it will be easier.'

Savident, 29, was born and bred in the island and he left in 1995 to pursue a professional career with Hampshire.

When his eligibility was questioned, it did raise some eyebrows.

'I was surprised there was a problem and I wasn't surprised that my appeal went through,' said Savident.

'I'm glad it's gone through. It was silly: it was a bit like telling Beckham that he can't play for England because he works in Spain.

'What difference should it make where you work. It's your birthright.'

Frith lives outside Southampton and has special dispensation to play for Guernsey given the amount of hours he spends yearly in the Bailiwick in developing the sport.

The 28-year-old also turns out for Total Cobo in the Carey Olsen Weekend League.

'I was a little bit surprised to be going after all the fuss but I'm pleasantly surprised,' he said.

'It will be a nice few days away. A good few days of cricket and it will be good to see the boys again.'

Both Frith and Savident admit that they do not know too much about the teams they will be facing over the next week.

'I don't know how good the opposition will be until we play our first game,' said Savident.

'But I don't imagine the opposition will be as good as Namibia, Bermuda and the Scottish Academy sides that we played last year.

'I think that now we've got a full side, we should be all right if we get off to a good start.'

The tournament runs side by side in Glasgow with the First Division Championship that features the big guns of European cricket - Ireland, Scotland, Holland and Denmark.

The ICC European development manager, Richard Holdsworth, has dismissed the questions of the lower division competition playing second fiddle to the first division contest.

'The biggest winners of the tournament will be winners of the second division and we are going to keep a close eye on it,' he said.