Bichard gets his chance in the national squad
LUKE BICHARD could make his T20I debut for Guernsey this week.
The Griffins bowler has been an outstanding performer for his club side throughout the truncated 2020 season and was yesterday named in the national senior squad for the three-match series against the Isle of Man, which starts with the full-blown international on Friday at the College Field before a T20 double-header at the KGV on Saturday.
‘He has bowled really well this year, especially considering Division One has been played on the mat,’ said Guernsey T20 captain Josh Butler.
‘I would have expected medium-pacers to come off quite badly in terms of their figures on the mat but the likes of “Bish” and Kieran Le Gallez, to name another, have come off well.
‘With Bish, he has matured a lot as well this year. Everyone has noticed how he has gone from being the kid who wanted to wear the Guernsey shirt to now a 17-year-old who wants to put in the hard yards to earn it and has the right attitude.
‘In T20s you try to have an even mix of spin and seam in your attack and with Hoops [David Hooper] unavailable, Bish effectively fits into that role which Hoops has filled for the last 10 years and it will be a good opportunity for him.’
Meanwhile, returning to the island fold is Independents seamer Matt Renouf, who has not featured for Guernsey in ICC cricket since World Cricket League Division Five Singapore 2012.
‘He trained really well in the winter but then got injured, so has not played as much as others, but it is great to have people like him coming back into the squad,’ Butler said.
‘We are looking forward to the weekend. It feels like it has been a long time in coming because it has been the only thing in the calendar for the Guernsey squad this season, so since it was rumoured it might happen, our focus has been on these games,’ added the skipper.
Bichard is in line for a busy week as he is also in the Guernsey under-17 side who will face
their Isle of Man counterparts over the next couple of days during a week when approximately 140 Manx cricketers, officials and supporters will be visiting these shores.
