Old rivalry resumes

Guernsey Cricket Board chief executive Mark Latter was pleased to report yesterday that dates for junior and senior fixtures against the old enemy have been arranged for later this summer in Jersey, which should have hosted last year’s events before Covid intervened.

The men’s 50-over Inter-Insular will take place on Saturday 21 August at Farmers and will be the culmination of the inter-island programme after under-11, 13 and 15 matches on 10 July and a three-match women’s T20 international series on 24-25 July.

‘International cricket and cricket against the old foe makes it feel like summer and that things are getting back to how they were and how we want them to be,’ Latter said.

‘The first conversation we had on the subject with our Jersey counterparts came when the CCA gave the first indication that there could be unrestricted travel from 1 July and it’s really been a case of us getting the confidence that those dates will come to fruition.’

Latter added that the prospect of pan-island inter-club matches hinges on ICC competitions.

‘As far as the men are concerned, we have concentrated on arranging that one Inter-Insular – anything else will be dependent on Jersey’s ICC programme, with them due to host the World Cup Challenge League Two in September.

‘If that is cancelled [due to the pandemic], it might free up some other dates, but as things stand a game on 21 August fits their schedule well.’

It also means that players involved in games like today’s GCB XI versus the MCC at the College Field have something to aim for this summer.

‘This will give an added focus to domestic cricket as players will want to put their hand up for selection,’ Latter said.

The MCC team will be heading to Sark on Monday for a game at the Millennium Field.