Dominant Guernsey start as they mean to go on

DAVE HEARSE could not emphasise enough the importance of remaining focused following Guernsey's comfortable opening day victory in the ICC European Division Two Championship.

One could sense that the memories of two years ago, when the Sarnians eased to a seven-wicket win against Gibraltar in Glasgow but then lost the next two games, still weigh heavily on the island squad.

How coincidental that the margin of victory and the opposition were repeated yesterday. 'We have got to make sure that we are ready and raring to go again tomorrow,' Hearse said.

Admittedly, the rain interruptions on day one had also prompted him into such a statement. 'We have got to be patient with the weather this week. We need to stay focused on the task in hand.'

Perhaps it was the wintry weather at Port Soif, but the Gibraltarians were caught stone cold within the opening quarter-of-an-hour of the championship.