Guernsey have potential for Jersey triumph

GUERNSEY are quietly confident of winning next week's inaugural ICC European under-19 Division Two Championship in Jersey as long as the rain holds off. 'Provided we get good weather, we could win the tournament,' said team manager Dave Nussbaumer.

'But with rain-affected games, it's not always the best team that wins.'

Group A is made up of Jersey, Italy and the competition's number one seeds, Gibraltar. Isle of Man, Germany and Israel make up Group B.

The Sarnians have Belgium and France in Group C.

They first face the Belgians, who are the top-seeded team in the group, on Monday at Les Quennevais and then the French the next day at the FB Fields. If they overcome those two, they then go through to the title play-offs on the following three days.

'We played Belgium last year and both were rain affected games,' said Nussbaumer.

'I'm quietly confident that we should beat Belgium. I don't know too much about France but I expect them to be similar to Belgium.

'Our real challenges will be on Thursday and Friday.

'I know Jersey will be tough at home and Israel won the U17 championships. I think they will be the strongest side there.

'With Germany and Gibraltar, they are all difficult sides to beat. It really depends on how well we play in those games as to whether we win the tournament.'

Kris Moherndl, Ben Ferbrache and Peter Le Hegarat, who all turned out for the senior island side in the recent triangular tournament with France and Jersey, provide the experience in the team.

Moherndl looks set to make his full inter-insular debut next month and he was chosen as the 12th man for the European Select XI that played the MCC at Lord's in early June.

His selection came on the back of his attendance at the ICC European Academy in La Manga before the season. Belgian skipper Nirvam Shah also went there.

Other players to look out for in the tournament are Gibraltar's opening batsman Scott Chipolina, wicketkeeper Haris Bhatti and leg spinner Tanzeel Tariq from Germany and French captain John Houghton.

Nussbaumer is pleased with the amount of work his team have done in the run-up to the competition.

'The commitment this week has been absolutely superb,' he said.

'They can't have done more. I think they are confident but not over confident.'

One Guernsey player not going is Tim Ravenscroft. The 15-year-old star is representing the West at the prestigious Bunbury Festival.

The best players on show there are selected for England under-16s.