In, out decision was 'not cricket'

IT WAS a cruel way to go out, but go out Guernsey did on another rain-hit day of the European under-23 Division Two Championship. After having their match with France washed out on Tuesday, the Sarnians yesterday needed to beat Italy with a better run rate than the French had achieved to progress through to today's final.

In a rain-affected match at the KGV, Guernsey managed to beat the Italians by 51 runs and when the match officials got their calculators out at the end to see if they done enough to make the final with Jersey, after an age it was announced that they had.

Scenes of jubilation from the green caps followed, but in a sickening twist, the officials recalculated the figures and worked out that France had in fact had the better run rate.

When they declared this, the Guernsey players were, understandably, beside themselves.

'I think it's absolutely appalling that the ICC told a team that they've won a game and gone through to a final and then say they've not because of a simple miscalculation,' said Guernsey captain Jamie Nussbaumer.

'Everyone was looking forward to playing Jersey in the final. Of course now because of this miscalculation we're gutted that we're not going through.

'We've clearly given Italy a good beating and not to go through to the final after all we've done is hard to take.'

It was calculated that if Guernsey had lost one less wicket or scored three more runs, they would have been through.

In tricky conditions the Sarnians reached 160 for eight from their 34 overs. James Warr played a patient knock of 37 to top score for the home side.

Because Italy had spent so long bowling their overs, their innings was reduced to 32 overs and despite some big hits ultimately they struggled to come to terms with the spin of Tim Ravenscroft and Tom Kirk and Johnny Warr's nagging medium pace as they slipped to 109 for seven.

'I couldn't have asked more of the boys today,' said Nussbaumer.

'We were a little bit rusty, but we knuckled down on a difficult track. I thought the bowling was brilliant.'

n Guernsey face Gibra-ltar for third spot today at the College Field.