First blood to Guernsey - but will it catch on?

THE cricket world may have gone Twenty20 crazy but when it comes to Guernsey-Jersey matches it will be years - if at all - before it succeeds the annual 50-over game in terms of importance. Guernsey rather fell over the finish line for a five-wicket win in the first 20-over-a-side inter-island game, but both captains agreed that regardless of the result it was not quite the same as winning the one that has half-a-century of history behind it.

The timing of it - the very last game of a long season - is a problem, but it is difficult to see where such a game could fit in elsewhere.

It seems that when it comes to Twenty20 the inter-island clash needs the backdrop of the county clash, just as much as the half-hearted cash-cow game between two sets of tired professionals, needs a serious Guernsey-Jersey showdown to provide the day's proceedings with a competitive focus that appeals to those outside the hospitality tent that realises the profits.

The two islands went full tilt as they took centre stage after the Dragons and Royals put their feet up with some food and wine, but the sheer nature of the game does not provide for the fluctuations and tension of a full one-day game.

It was good fun, though.

Stu Le Prevost, the victorious skipper, said it was always nice to put one over Jersey, but added: 'it's obviously slightly different and there's not quite the same intensity as the inter-insular.'

Matt Hague, his opposite number, was not about to disagree.

'It was treated by both side as a bit more fun compared to the serious nature of the island game.'

Hague won the toss and decided to bat but within seven balls the Jersey challenge was in tatters.

Both openers, including himself, fell for a duck to the young Coboite spearhead of Blane Queripel and Kris Moherndl.

Queripel yorked Jonny Gough with a pearler, while Moherndl knocked over Hague's stumps as the Australian missed a pull that did not take into consideration the slowness and low bounce of the damp strip.

'The start you get at the top of the order is imperative,' said Hague.

'The first two overs is where we lost it.

'We did all right afterwards with the bat considering the start we had, and Guernsey batted well,' the visiting captain added with welcome magnaminity.

But a total of 137 proved to be well within the compass of the home side who raced towards it only to get a trifle careless the nearer they approached the finish line.

In the end the greens got home with only 12 deliveries to spare when for much of their reply they were skating it.

At the top of the Guernsey order, Matt Oliver and Jeremy Frith gave Jersey no early encouragement and within six overs had positively deflated them.

By then the home side were rattling along at 57 for nought.

Even when Oliver went for one heave too many in the next over and was bowled for a fine 40 from only 20 balls faced, Guernsey kept going along nicely with the formidable GH Smit taking over Oliver's role as the crasher, while Frith kept the board ticking over with shots all around the wicket.

On 80, Frith holed out to Chris Jones at long on, the same fielder having earlier put down another chance in a similar area, but Smit ensured there was no loosening of the noose with some fearsome blows.

In one Tom Minty over, he crashed three straight drives down the ground for four and after 13 Guernsey were sitting pretty at 115 for three, Le Prevost having also fallen by then.

But the next three overs brought just 10 runs and the loss of Smit, bowled by Jones for 37, who also picked up debutant TJ Ozanne cheaply.

Andy Biggins, however, was showing no inclination to give his wicket away and at the end of the 18th, Moherndl pulled Jones behind square for four to finish the game.

The man-of-the-match award went to Jersey all-rounder Ryan Driver who had rebuilt their innings with a powerful 65.

After an understandably cautious start the big left-hander had moved to his fifty with a straight six off Smit which caused a delay after the ball lodged itself in a greenhouse and neither umpire had a ready replacement.

It was not the only oversight. Jaco Pieterse, upgraded from 12th man to player with the late withdrawal of Tim Duke, hampered his fielding with a lack of spikes.

It might have cost Guernsey one catch but the young South African made up for that slip with a breathtaking catch on the mid-wicket boundary which ended Jamie Brewster's short innings.

Moherndl also showed a safe pair of hands, taking two steeplers in the deep to confirm his emergence as a fine all-round player.