County trio lined up for Germany T20 bid
GUERNSEY’S European T20 Championship bid looks likely to get that bit tougher.
Three county stars – perhaps a fourth – are being tipped to be among the Germany team that arrives on Sarnian soil as they host the six-team Europe final between 13 and 21 June.
The tournament will see the winner move forward to the ICC T20 World Cup Qualifier (14 teams), vying then for a place at the T20 World Cup in Australia 2020.
It is one of five separate regional finals being held, with 25 teams competing across these.
If the presence of Jersey, Italy, Norway and Denmark was not enough to worry Ash Wright’s young squad, news that the fast-improving Germans may have the services of Middlesex’s German born former England Lions player Ollie Rayner, Glamorgan’s Craig Meschede and Dieter Klein of Leicestershire, both of whom hold German passports, have confirmed their willingness to represent Germany.
A fourth county player and German passport holder, Michael Richardson of Durham, son of the former ICC chief and former South Africa wicket-keeper Dave, has also expressed an interest in playing here.
Speaking to Simon Wilde, the Sunday Times’ cricket correspondent, classy off-spinner Rayner and Meschede signalled their keenness to play.
Rayner, who has approaching 300 first-class wickets to his name, does not expect to be needed for Middlesex over that period.
‘Angus Fraser [Middlesex’s managing director of cricket] is aware of the situation and I’d be surprised if he had an issue if it doesn’t impact on what I’m doing at Middlesex. For me, I want to play white-ball cricket so if I go out there [Guernsey] and get some white-ball practice and put my name in the hat for the T20 blast that’s good for everyone.’
More in Wednesday's Guernsey Press.
