Young fast bowlers blast through France in Jersey

STUART LE PREVOST and Peter Le Hegarat were the main men as Guernsey crushed France in the first match of the Jersey triangular tournament. On a tricky Grainville wicket on Friday, Le Prevost produced a captain's knock of 58 to help his island team post 207 from 50 overs.

He had a crucial sixth wicket stand worth 66 with veteran all-rounder Gary Rich.

In reply, the weak French side were dismissed for a paltry 63 as 19-year-old quickie Le Hegarat was the star with the ball, taking five for 11.

Along with opening bowler partner Blane Queripel, they ripped the heart out of France's batting.

'It was a difficult wicket and we batted reasonably OK,' said Guernsey manager Dave Hearse.

'We could have adapted better: 220 was a good score and we almost got there.

'Stuart Le Prevost batted the best, Matt Oliver contributed and there was a good partnership between Gary Rich and Le Prevost that took us past what they could have got.

'The bowling was particularly pleasing with Pete and Blane. They are still young and are still learning their trade.

'They bowled up to the bat and the wickets speak for themselves. The most pleasing thing was that we had six players under 20.

'It was a good outing but France weren't as good as we thought they would be. But you have to beat what's put in front of you.'

After winning the toss and deciding to bat, Guernsey got off to a conspicuous start when Jeremy Frith nicked the very first ball but luckily for the Cobo man it did not carry to the French keeper.

Maybe this was a sign of things to come as Frith and his opening partner Oliver struggled to cope with the low bounce and movement off the pitch.

Frith went for 15 when he tried to flick a Sithambaranathan delivery through the on side and he was caught and bowled off a leading edge by the seamer.

Oliver was lucky not to depart shortly afterwards when on 21 the aggressive left-hander was dropped at mid on when trying to dispatch a low full toss.

He then survived a big lbw shout from off spinner Sulanga Hewanaladanage.

His new partner, Ami Banerjee, never really came to terms with the wicket as the Optimists player departed for 11 after he was caught at square leg when he pulled an Ayyavavooraju short pitched delivery that did not get up.

That triggered something of a collapse as Oliver went for 48 when he looked to go aerial and mistimed it up to mid off.

Two balls later GH Smit joined him back in the pavilion after he chipped Hewanaladanage back to the bowler.

Rising star Tim Ravenscroft, after playing a couple of delightful shots, was next to go when he popped one to mid wicket and Ben Ferbrache was the last batsman dismissed in the collapse when he was given out lbw to a flatter delivery from spinner Ihsan.

Now starting to look in trouble, Le Prevost with the help of Rich steered the Sarnians out of rough waters.

Le Prevost was his typical bullish self as he looked to dominate the bowling once he had got his eye in. He executed a number of lovely pick-up shots over leg.

Rich was happy to play second fiddle until he went in the dying overs, bowled by seamer Sithambaranathan going for a huge swipe.

Le Prevost was eventually caught on the boundary off Ihsan but he had done his job to get his side over 200.

In the field, the island team got off to the best of starts when Queripel bowled Ihsan with the first ball as the right-hander shouldered arms and did not offer a shot.

The next wicket supplied the champagne moment of the day when Houghton went for an expansive drive off Le Hegarat only to get an edge that was neatly caught by Banerjee above his head at second slip.

The French struggled to deal with the pace of Le Hegarat and Queripel and before long they were seven wickets down with not very many on the board.

A little stand between Wickremasinghe and Konthasinghe delayed the inevitable as they went to the spin of Frith and Ravenscroft respectively before Frith dismissed last man Ayyavavooraju.

'It was good, the wicket did a bit,' said Le Hegarat.

'I just had to pitch it up there and let the ball do the rest.

'I don't think the French were used to this type of wicket. They play on artificials.'