Dyer one of three Le Quesne new faces
THREE new caps, all from the Guernsey Bowling Club, have been chosen to make their island bow in the annual Le Quesne trophy inter-island match, which this year will be played in Jersey at the St Saviour’s bowling club in early September.
Martin Totty and Babs Savident will be new to the ‘Muratti’ stage, but Chris Dyer is no stranger to taking on Jersey, having led the Guernsey football side on many occasions.
Guernsey’s second most capped football player ever – only Les Collins made more appearances – is delighted to get the call in what is his first full season of playing bowls outdoors.
Previously, he had only played indoors but he has been taken by the different challenges the outdoor game provides and in no time has become one of the Beau Sejour-based club’s top players and skips.
Indeed, it is as a skip he makes his Le Quesne debut, leading an all GBC rink of Micky (Budlo) Ogier at third, Totty at second and Terry Brokenshire at lead.
This is the second year of the new formatted 24-a-side mixed inter-insular, having been reduced from the traditional 48 players in previous years. Now only 12 men and 12 women forming three rinks of each gender will play each Jersey combination in a round-robin format, with all the shots going towards the individual men’s or ladies’ trophy.
The Guernsey women won the trophy last year for the first time since 2008, while the men’s last victory was in 2010.
The new BGA president Joe Thompson has been named manager, with the authority from the selection committee to amend the team as required before or during the weekend.
Also, crucially for Guernsey hopes, the match has returned to a grass surface, which pleases Garry Collins, the Bowls Guernsey events coordinator.
Of the revert, negotiated by previous BG president Rob Batiste and BGA fixtures secretary Nigel Collins, he said: ‘We are delighted that Jersey has agreed to move the venue to a grass venue instead of the artificial surface at Les Creux, so it’s fair for both islands.
‘Also with selecting the squad early we have managed to secure good group airline and hotel rates, making it value for money and an exciting weekend.’
The other Guernsey combinations are Gary Pitschou (skip), Nigel Collins, Steve Williams and Matt Solway; Matt Le Ber (skip), Todd Priaulx, Keith de la Mare and Len Le Ber; Lyn Small (skip), Babs Savident, Ali Guillou, Rose Ogier; Lucy Beere (skip), Fleur Bougourd, Linda Wakeham and Julie Solway; Gwen de la Mare (skip) Gemma Lewin, Emma Snell and Jenny Kimber.
