With the prospect of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Europe Regional Final in the Netherlands looming on the horizon at the height of the summer, the Sarnians wanted games against a high-standard of opposition in the build-up to that July tournament and Island team manager Rob Thomson has put together an impressive programme, which gets under way this evening at the KGV.
‘We’ve built on the success of the last year or two with county academy sides coming over,’ he said on the latest Guernsey Press Sport Podcast.
‘So we had Hampshire on their own two years ago, quite a small affair, and then Hampshire went back that year and spoke so positively about the experience of coming to Guernsey that they brought Somerset with them last year. And then people remember we had the Irish Academy the week after.
‘There’s been a bit of competition actually, for academy sides wanting to come over this winter, so we’ve got Surrey coming with Hampshire this weekend and then we’ll see Essex the following weekend.’
Hear the full interview with Rob Thomson and Richard Headington on the latest Guernsey Press Sport Podcast
The series will be multi format, with both T20 and 50-over format matches, with the hosts facing Hampshire Academy today in the short format to kick things off.
‘Like last year, it’s a pretty full on start for the guys, we’ve got cricket from Thursday through to Monday this weekend taking advantage of the Easter break and then another two days the following weekend, so we’re really right into it,’ Thomson said.
‘The stage is set. There’s been a lot of work going on in the winter to get it to this point and it should be a great time and hopefully everybody will come down and support the guys like like they did so well for us last summer.’
This weekend’s schedule (all at the KGV)
Today – Guernsey v Hampshire Academy, T20, 5pm.
Tomorrow – Guernsey v Surrey Academy, T20, noon; Surrey Academy v Hampshire Academy, T20, 4pm.
Saturday – Guernsey v Hampshire Academy, 50 overs, 11am.
Sunday – Hampshire Academy v Surrey Academy, 50 overs, 11am.
Monday – Guernsey v Surrey Academy, 50 overs, 11am.
Among the established Island squad members, there will also be a couple of younger players gaining more senior experience in Ed Robinson and Evan Le Huray, while two of the team – Charlie Forshaw and Luke Bichard – are fresh from opening the bowling at Lord’s a week ago for the ICC Europe Men’s U23 team who beat the MCC by five wickets in a 50-over game.
Forshaw took a wicket with the second ball of the match while Bichard was unlucky not to pick up a scalp in a probing spell from the Pavilion End.
Thomson was among the Guernsey spectators at the home of cricket and called it a ‘surreal’ experience.
‘I was sort of involved with the recommendation or the selection of the two lads, but it’s a really exciting thing that the ICC did there with an U23 European side, really building on the way that cricket’s growing in Europe,’ he said.
‘The boys just acquitted themselves so well. They both opened the bowling, which is just absolutely incredible. Charlie took the first over, takes a wicket second ball. I don’t quite know how still Bish did not get a wicket – his first spell was off the charts.
‘It was just an absolute privilege to see them. Their development is testament to everything that’s going on behind the scenes.’
Guernsey squad
Ollie Nightingale (captain), Charlie Birch, Luke Bichard, Martin-Dale Bradley, Josh Butler, Ollie Clapham, Zak Damarell, Ben Ferbrache, Ben Fitchet, Charlie Forshaw, Evan Le Huray, Nathan Le Tissier, Adam Martel, Tom Nightingale, Ed Robinson, Charlie Simmonds, Ant Stokes, Matt Stokes, Harrison Tagg.
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