Dutch finally come good, but too late

THE island side failed to make it three wins in three when they lost their last match in the Fortis-sponsored series with Dutch Flamingo A on Friday. Requiring 213 for the victory at the KGV, the visitors got the winning runs in the last over. But by then the Guernsey Cricket Board XI had already wrapped up the three-match series with wins in the first two days.

'Holland played more aggressively and played more positively today,' said Guernsey coach Dave Hearse after the match.

'They had two crucial partnerships - one at the start and one at the end. And the result proved that they are a better team than the first games indicated.

'I'm quite disappointed but in a three-match series, if you win 2-1, you win the series.'

Not one Sarnian batsman got a 50 in the home side's total. Instead players chipped with runs here and there.

Jeremy Frith was the highest scorer with 31, followed by opener Matt Oliver on 27.

In reply, the visitors got off to a flyer with opener Mudassar 'Boom Boom' Bukhari smashing three sixes on his way to 41 before he was caught by Frith off the bowling of Ami Banerjee.

He had put on a stand of 61 with his captain, Tom de Grooth, for the first wicket. Guernsey clawed their way back into the game to leave the Dutch 150 for six, but a seventh-wicket stand of 64 between Maarten van Lerschot and Jelte Schoonheim saw them home.

Needing three to win off the last over, the tall Schoonheim smashed Kris Moherndl's opening delivery back past the young Cobo quickie for four.

'I'm pleased with today as we've shown improvement over the three days,' said Holland's coach, Roland Lefebvre.

'The frustrating thing is that it's taken that time. They have to realise that they have to be ready and some of them weren't ready.'

A recurring theme over the three matches was the Dutch having difficulty coping with Guernsey's spinners. Off spinner Gary Rich and left-armer Jeremy Frith, who took six wickets for 84 runs in the three matches, caused the most problems for the visitors.

Frith also had a good time with the bat, scoring a 50 in the second game to earn himself player of the series accolade.

'If you look at how the games went, we played the pace well but we came unstuck against the spinners,' said Lefebvre.

'We ran out of options very quickly. Guernsey's spinners are good but they are not that good.

'It has to be clear that they have to work harder and be dedicated.'

Hearse also thought that the series had been beneficial for his team.

'It's been a worthwhile exercise for our guys and it's always good to play new opposition,' he said.