Guernsey generosity knows no bounds

UNBELIEVABLE.

That was a word that was used a lot at the KGV on Saturday after an astonishing collapse by the island side saw them lose to Jersey.

It was a bewildering climax to the 2008 ICC European Division Two Championship which would see the winner of the match crowned champions and possibly get the opportunity to play bottom-placed Division One team Norway in a play-off match next year.

It had looked like Guernsey were going to be that side when they were cruising for victory at 209 for four and requiring a further 10 runs from four overs.

To use a sporting metaphor – the green ribbons were already on the cup.

But the Sarnians capitulated in the face of pressure to lose five wickets for five runs to end one run short.

People around the ground were gobsmacked as Jersey celebrated deliriously.

The person who summed up the mood the best was Jersey coach Peter Kirsten.

The former South African test and World Cup cricketer has seen some strange things on a cricket pitch in his career but he was astounded with what had unfolded in front of him.

'We played some poor cricket, I'm surprised we won,' he said.

'It was a great game of cricket. I thought 218 was a good score then Guernsey got off to a good start.

'I was really impressed by their opening pair. I thought we had lost it but Guernsey gave it back to us.'

After winning the toss and opting to bat, Jersey captain Matt Hague must have been regretting his decision as he watched his top three batsmen – Pete Gough, Ian Crocker and Andy Dewhurst – all go cheaply to leave the Reds reeling at 42 for three.

But Hague, together with former Worcestershire and Lancashire professional cricketer Ryan Driver, put on a stand of 109.

Hague went for 35 and left-hander Driver looked very impressive indeed as hit an undefeated 113 from 141 balls.

He was helped by some poor bowling from the Guernsey seamers who at times seemed intent on feeding him.

He hit one straight six straight off GH Smit but the shot that stuck out most was a reverse sweep off the part-time off spinner that seared down the slope to the boundary just behind point.

Thanks to Driver, Jersey's total of 218 looked imposing enough, but that was before Lee Savident and Matt Oliver had walked onto the pitch to open the innings for Guernsey. The pair never looked like they were in trouble as they comfortably took runs off Jersey's seam attack.

They took Guernsey past the 50 mark in the 10th over and had put on 79 for the first wicket before Oliver went, caught off a leading edge by Anthony Kay at mid off from the bowling of Chris Jones.

Jeremy Frith continued where Oliver had left off and went about patiently knocking off the target.

Hague was running out of options as Savident and Frith took Guernsey past 150, so he turned to the friendly spin of Sam Dewhurst and Pete Gough.

They initially did not have much affect but in Dewhurst's third over the leg spinner struck when he bowled a full toss to Frith, who instead of sending it sailing over the rope hit it straight back at the bowler.

This bizarre dismissal was a sign of things to come.

Tim Ravenscroft was run out for one and number five Smit also went cheaply when he danced down the wicket to smack a Gough full toss but missed and was bowled.

However, there was no panic at this stage as Guernsey captain Stuart Le Prevost joined Savident at the crease. Former Hampshire county cricketer Savident was in imperious form and made batting look easy as he worked towards his century.

They took the greens past 200 but on 209, a figure that will now be inscribed in the minds of the Guernsey supporters at the KGV, the wheels came off spectacularly.

The catalyst for this monumental collapse was Savident going for 98 when he went for a ridiculous second run off a misfield by Jonny Gough and was run out by a country mile.

Le Prevost was next to go for 15, lbw to the pace of Kay, who had replaced Dewhurst.

What followed was just earth-shattering for the large home support as both Ben Ferbrache and Kris Moherndl were both run out for ducks in the same over.

Veteran Gary Rich joined Jamie Nussbaumer with the score on 210 and with two wickets left.

Eight runs for a tie would have given the championship to Guernsey due to a better run rate, and they took three runs off the penultimate over bowled by Jones.

A single off the first ball off the last over bowled by Kay saw Nussbaumer play one dot ball, before the young Cobo all-rounder went for an almighty heave and was bowled.

Blane Queripel came in and two singles later he found himself facing the last ball needing two runs to tie the match, three for outright victory.

He could only scramble a single much to the unabated joy of the Jersey team and the disbelief of the Guernsey crowd.