The Griffins all-rounder is one of two Guernsey players, along with teenager Charlie Forshaw, to have been selected for an ICC Europe Men’s U23s team who will face the MCC at the home of cricket in a 50-over clash and Bichard cannot wait to step onto the field at one of the most iconic sporting venues in the world.
‘It’s a pretty big opportunity, not one I was going to pass up,’ he said, after revealing that Guernsey’s director of cricket Jeremy Frith had let slip a while ago that he could be involved.
‘We got official confirmation that we were going about a month ago, so we have known for a little while. I got an email from ICC Europe asking if I was available for the match and there was no way I was going to give up this chance.’
Six associate nations are represented in the ICC Europe in the 12-strong squad, with three players from Denmark, two each from Scotland, Italy, Guernsey and Jersey while captain Arnav Jain is from the Netherlands.
‘I know the Jersey lads, Charlie Brennan and Theo Pullman, to say hello to and as for the other guys, we have probably played against each other in tournaments, but this will be a great opportunity to get to meet some new faces from around European cricket,’ said Bichard.
He was meeting up with the squad last night and today they will have a practice session ahead of the match, which starts at 10.30am tomorrow.
Bichard, who is Guernsey’s leading wicket-taker in men’s T20Is, joked that he will be making no demands of the captain as to which end he bowls from.
‘I think I will do as I’m told – I’m not sure I will be shouting orders in the same way as I might do with Griffins, I will just toe the line and try to take whatever opportunities I’m given,’ he said.
‘I tend to bring the ball back into the right-hander, so coming down the slope [from the Pavilion End] would perhaps benefit me – that would be pretty cool – but either end would be fine by me.
‘I believe it is going to be a very strong MCC side, so hopefully it will be a good game and we’ll be able to perform.
‘We are straight into it with no warm-up games and then at Easter we are straight into the academy games with Guernsey, so it is going to be a pretty busy April.’
The match will be live-streamed via the MCC website and YouTube channel.
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