Sarnian team benefit from three withdrawals

GUERNSEY'S path to the 2008 World Championships in New Zealand has been made easier by the withdrawal of three rival nations. Cyprus, Malta and the Netherlands have pulled out of next week's world qualifiers on financial grounds, leaving the Sarnian team of Gary Pitschou, Matt and Len Le Ber, Ian Merrien and Geoff Savident to battle it out against Spain, Portugal and the Isle of Man for a place in the main event.

'The team is prepared but we are disappointed that three have pulled out,' said team manager Garry Collins.

The World Championships in New Zealand is open only to the top 24 countries in the world.

Twelve automatically qualified from the last event in 2004 and the other 12 come from 33 of the smaller nations.

Pitschou plays in the singles and Savident and Matt Le Ber the pairs.

Pitchou, Len Le Ber and Ian Merrien form the triple and Pitschou is the odd one out for the fours.