Sussex league committee back Guernsey's introduction

In April the county league's committee will put the proposal for Guernsey to play 10 50-over games per season against their clubs.

'We think the idea's got merit for the league, our clubs and Guernsey cricket as well,' said league chairman Bob Warren. 'Guernsey are quite clear. They want to rise up the ICC rankings and they see playing against our Division Two teams as a valuable step in that process,' he added.

Mark Latter, chief executive of the Guernsey Cricket Board, said it was very welcome news.

'We are obviously delighted that another step has been taken towards the participation of a Guernsey team in the Sussex Leagues.

'We now await the meeting on 13 April and hope the Clubs and Members will then formally agree to our joining in 2016.

'The GCB are grateful to Bob Warren and his team on the League Committee, for their support to date and look forward to gracing the grounds of Sussex soon.'

Warren said he would now be writing to all the main Sussex clubs in the next week or so 'outlining our thoughts and Guernsey's thoughts'.

'We will put that proposal to our clubs at our April meeting, which is the next time all the clubs are together. We're a members' organisation and the members have to vote for everything that we do. It broadens the appeal of cricket by playing against players from another part of the country.'