Irregulars duo get their just rewards
FIVE uncapped players have been named in the Island training squad ahead of next month’s scheduled inter-insular.
A group of 17 have made the cut, with the Guernsey Cricket Board and their Jersey counterparts in regular dialogue in the hope that travel protocols will allow the match to return as planned on Saturday 21 August at Farmers Field or, at least, be played by the end of the season.
‘We have purposely picked this squad quite early to give guys the opportunity to become selectable and get as many of the boxes ticked as we can,’ said coach Lee Savident, referring to players getting vaccinated in time.
Ben Wentzel and Martin-Dale Bradley are the two players from the development squad named while Luke Bichard, Adam Martel and Dec Martel are the other three players who have yet to be capped at inter-insular level.
‘Adam has been called up purely on his performances. He has probably been the best spinner in the league, he gives us something different as a left-armer, he can bat and he is a decent fielder,’ said Savident.
‘Ben and Martin have had decent, solid seasons, they are both very competitive, they train regularly, they are strong characters and they are driving up that competition in the group.
‘It’s a reward for the effort they have put in off the field as well as having numbers on the field to back it up.’
Savident added that a couple of those named perhaps have not hit the heights of previous years or have not played much cricket this season for various reasons, but the management wanted to give some players who have been Island squad mainstays in recent times the chance to stake a claim.
‘There are not a lot of club games left now, so we have really got to try to create some decent cricket,’ he said. ‘We are going to be training on Mondays and then try to put on a few games where we have got spare weekends.
‘We are planning that the [inter-insular] will get the go-ahead and the squad will likely be whittled down to 13 travelling if that’s the case.’
Meanwhile, Savident was an interested spectator last weekend when Griffins beat Independents in the top-of-the-table clash in Odey Wealth Evening League One and he was impressed with what he saw.
‘The catching on Saturday was unbelievable ... Adam Wakeford’s was the best I have seen for a long time,’ he said.
‘It was nice to see a bit of atmosphere out there – it felt like there was an edge to the game.’
Wednesday's Odey Wealth Evening League One match between Irregulars and Independents has been postponed.
