Island back as the big stage

An ICC representative been in the island this week to inspect the venues that will be hosting the ICC 2024 Under-19 Cricket World Cup Europe Division Two event in August when eight nations will be competing for three promotion places to the next step in the pathway to India in two years’ time.

Also competing alongside the hosts will be Denmark, France, Germany, Isle of Man, Italy, Norway and Sweden.

‘It’s good to be able to showcase the facilities we have here in Guernsey and, by virtue of having the tournament here, improve those facilities as well,’ said Guernsey Cricket Board chief executive Mark Latter.

‘The tournament is on artificial turf pitches, so we will be using Port Soif, the College Field, the Memorial Field and the KGV, with the CF and MF having brand new surfaces put down as a consequence of us hosting the tournament.’

The eight nations will be separated into two groups of four and play a round-robin in their groups before a day of play-offs that will see the group toppers face off, second plays second and so on.

The matches will be 50 overs per side, with the tournament starting on 5 August and the play-offs being on 11 August.

‘The top three will qualify for Division One – so the two group winners and the winners of the match between the two second-placed teams – where Jersey, Scotland and the Netherlands await,’ Latter said.

‘The Guernsey squad, which is effectively our current under-17s as they will be the U19s in 2024, are currently training a couple of times a week and in a month or so the 14 selected for the tournament will be announced by coaches Ben [Ferbrache] and Lee [Forshaw].

‘It’s a great opportunity for them to get the chance to play in the tournament, especially as it is in Guernsey, and it would be good to see them get plenty of local support.’

The groups and fixtures will be released in due course.