Bisson hails team effort as Guernsey triumph

GUERNSEY produced a team effort to be proud of in winning the B inter-insular at the KGV yesterday. Led brightly and by example by captain Stuart Bisson, the Sarnians fought back from early difficulties to register a fine 33-run victory.

After winning the toss and choosing to bat, Bisson must have been questioning his decision as Peter Blackburn ripped through the top order leaving the hosts 19 for three.

Importantly, though, opener Richard Veillard stood firm and, once Justin Walker had become the fourth man dismissed, he received excellent support from his skipper.

The way in which they sensibly steadied the ship by picking up one and twos as well as the occasional boundary showed just what could be done with a little application.

Veillard played some typically classy strokes while Bisson punched the ball down the ground with confidence to push their side's total into three figures and calm a few nerves.

Their partnership was worth 82 valuable runs before Bisson, looking for the huge open space at mid-wicket, missed a straight one.

Man-of-the-match Veillard went just a few overs later for 74 made from 114 deliveries, which included six boundaries, and when Blane Queripel and Kris Moherndl followed in quick succession to leg spinner Sam Dewhurst, the butterflies started flying again in Guernsey stomachs.

Vitally, though, the hosts had a long batting order with Aaron Scoones and Pierre Moody, both regulars in their clubs' top order, going in at nine and 10.

They followed the example set earlier by Veillard and Bisson in playing sensibly and straight and in doing so they kept the scoreboard ticking over.

The 60 they added for the ninth wicket in just less than nine overs was crucial in the pattern of the game and put their side on a high at lunch with 208 for nine being a defendable, if not outstanding, score.

The momentum stayed with Guernsey, and Moody in particular, at the start of the Jersey reply as the Wanderers all-rounder picked up three wickets in an excellent new-ball spell.

Only Justin Le Fort in the Jersey top order offered any real resistance and he looked good in his deserved half-century.

Unfortunately for him, none of his partners remained at the crease with him for very long as wickets continued to fall regularly. Bisson and Scoones did the damage.

The latter's off spin caused the batsmen problems throughout his miserly 10 overs and it was he who finally removed Le Fort for 51 with a classic spinner's dismissal, bowling the driving batsman through the gate.

Jersey captain Nigel Crocker and Blackburn added 53 for the ninth wicket but having come together at 108 for eight, it was always going to be in a losing cause.

Fittingly it was left to Bisson to take the final wicket and start the celebrations.

'That's the best island side performance of the year that I have been involved in and it's always nice to get one over on the other island,' the skipper said.

'It was still the same old island side thing of being about 30 for three, but then RV batted well and deserved his man-of-the-match award.

'For me, Aaron and Pierre both deserve praise as well - both for their batting and their bowling.'