Back to the future as GPL makes its return

The best local players will be joined by professional cricketers to showcase their skills in three ‘franchise’ teams representing different charities, aiming to come out on top as a collective while individuals put forward their case for a place in the Island squad to take on Jersey in next week’s T20I Inter-Insular Series.

Guernsey director of cricket Jeremy Frith has his fingers crossed that the selectors have managed to divide the talent pool equally across the sides, joking that ideally there will be a tie or two in the three round-robin fixtures or even Saturday afternoon’s final.

‘I’ve got an eye on some really good cricket and some really close games,’ he said.

‘The beauty of it is it does allow you, which club cricket doesn’t always allow, to have really balanced teams – well, what we think are balanced teams – and our job is really to pick teams from who we don’t know who is going to win.’

Island captain Josh Butler leads the side representing Parkinson’s, who will have Charlie Fairfax-Ross as their pro, Matt Stokes skippers the Headway team which includes pro Tom Cheater, and Tom Kirk captains Male Uprising Guernsey, who have Jude Wright as their pro.

The round-robin matches take place on Thursday and Friday evenings as well as Saturday morning, with the final at 3.15pm on Saturday afternoon.

‘Having played in it as a player a long time ago, it was always a really exciting tournament for everyone to play in, it’s competitive cricket, it adds something different and as a focus around T20 cricket on grass, getting the best players together and trying to play some really competitive cricket in a way that it feels a little bit new. It isn’t club cricket but not quite the Island team but it’s a great format and one we want to re-establish, not just this year but build on for years to come,’ Frith said.

‘We know we’re going to end up with [ICC] T20 tournaments at different points in the year, so the idea was with the GPL, it is something we’re in control of and we can position at different points in the year to fit in with the preparation for different points in the season so that’s one of the real strengths of it – it acts as preparation for major tournaments or significant fixtures.’

All the matches are at the KGV.

GPL SQUADS

(subject to change)

Parkinson’s (sponsored by Ravenscroft)

Josh Butler (captain), Charlie Fairfax-Ross (pro), Luke Le Tissier, Lucas Barker, Ben Wentzel, GH Smit, Alex Bushell, Will Peatfield, Harry Johnson, Kieran Le Gallez, Joe Marshall, Peter Birch.

Headway (private sponsor)

Matt Stokes (captain), Tom Cheater (pro), Martin-Dale Bradley, Tom Nightingale, Nathan Le Tissier, Ben Ferbrache, James Wilson, Anthony Armstrong, Ben Johnson, Charlie Forshaw, Ollie Clapham, Dan Brown.

Mug (private sponsor)

Tom Kirk (captain), Jude Wright (pro), Ben Fitchet, Zak Damarell, Ollie Nightingale, Dave Hooper, Adam Martel, Luke Nussbaumer, Dane Mullen, Luke Bichard, Dan Thomas, Jake Swaisland.

SCHEDULE

Thursday – Parkinsons v Headway, 5.30pm.

Friday – Mug v Headway, 5.30pm.

Saturday – Parkinsons v Mug, 11am; Final, 3.15pm.