Guernsey learn vital lessons against young professionals

GUERNSEY'S last two games in the Academy Arch Tournament in the UAE both ended in defeat.

But to be fair to the island development team, their opponents, the Yorkshire and Glamorgan academy sides, were strong - to say the least.

For example, the Yorkshire outfit was captained by Azeem Rafique, the young cricketer at the centre of the administrative row which saw Yorkshire thrown out of this year's Twenty20 cup, and contained five other second XI cricketers.

However, Guernsey coach Jeremy Frith said that the two games, and the previous matches in the tournament against UAE and Sussex, which were both losses for the Sarnians, have given invaluable experience to his team.

'Sometimes we talk as coaches about what we want players to be able to do at certain points in the game, particularly with fielding,' he said.

'It was great that the lads now have a perception of what good fielding is and in particular how linked it is to physical fitness opposed to just natural ability.'