Pleasingly for the locals, there were some eye-catching performances from Guernsey players as their preparations for this summer’s ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Europe Qualifier belatedly ramped up following the cancellation of last month’s trip to Cyprus, and the Island side managed to notch up a win over Hampshire Academy on Saturday.
They probably should have had another, too, but could be forgiven for understandable rustiness that meant they were unable to capitalise on a promising position 24 hours later.
But the star of the show in the Academy T20 Series was Surrey opener Alfie Haxton, who oozed class as he smacked the opposition bowlers all around the ground with some glorious stroke-play.
Over four matches, Haxton made a total of 259 runs, including three half-centuries, at an average of nearly 65 with a strike-rate of over 200, and he did so with an impressive array of shots that combined imperious technique with impeccable timing.
Educated guesses from the ground staff on a couple of his eight sixes across the weekend had them in excess of 85m, but the power was almost effortless.
It was largely thanks to his contributions that Surrey got off to a flier in each game, having batted first every time, and they went on to set totals that proved out of reach for both Hampshire and Guernsey.
In their clash with Surrey on Saturday morning, though, the youthful Guernsey attack did well to rein in the opposition once Haxton had departed for 68 from 33 balls and a target of 188 was a lot less than it might have been.
Ed Robinson, one of the three teenage seamers along with Charlie Forshaw and Harry Johnson, picked up three wickets in the innings while the spin of Adam Martel and Martin-Dale Bradley offered control in the middle overs.
Lucas Barker was the pick of the batters in the Guernsey reply, hitting five fours and three sixes in his 58, but ultimately Surrey won by 50 runs.
After lunch on Saturday, though, Guernsey tasted success as they overcame Hampshire by 40 runs with Barker and Josh Butler laying the foundations for the victory thanks to an opening stand of 97.
Zak Damarell and skipper Ollie Nightingale also made valuable contributions as the hosts racked up 212 for 4 before restricting Hampshire to 172 for 6 with a couple of wickets apiece for Johnson and Forshaw.
Guernsey suffered defeat to both visiting sides the following day, with Surrey in particularly ruthless mood with a 96-run morning win.
This time Haxton made 84 with Alex Dodson the next highest scorer on 36 as their side finished 193 for 6 before bowling out the Sarnians for 97, with Ben Ferbrache’s 29 comfortably the top score.
But Guernsey looked to be bouncing back well in the afternoon and had Hampshire 125 for 6 after 15 overs, but thanks to a late flurry of boundaries, their opponents eventually posted 173 for 7.
The Island side lost Butler and Robinson in the powerplay at the start of the reply, while Tom Nightingale struggled to find any rhythm, but they were in the game while Bradley and Ollie Nightingale were together with the former making a fine 62 from 38 deliveries, including four fours and three maximums, even though he was given a couple of lives.
Once they were separated, though, the boundaries dried up and Guernsey ended up falling 24 runs short.
Overall, captain Nightingale was happy with their first run out of the season.
‘You’re trying to create habits and a winning habit is a good habit,’ he said of the first performance against Hampshire.
‘Disappointing not to win one or two more, but we’ve learnt a lot and it was a good run out for the guys. That’s probably the most important thing.’
Among the positives to take, according to the skipper, were the batting of Barker and the way U17 player Robinson stepped up with the new ball against top opposition.
Nightingale added that county academy sides provide just the right sort of standard of opponent he wants his side to be facing.
‘They’re probably not quite the same as the Europeans that we play, but they’re probably a much higher skill level in some respects.
‘This was definitely two stronger teams than I think they brought last year. Last year they had a couple of really good stand-out players, but these guys look fairly well drilled.
‘Surrey looked a bit older, a bit bigger and hit the ball a bit harder than perhaps they have in previous years, which is great exposure, because that’s what the European teams are going to do in a few months’ time.
‘A really good all round weekend. And thanks to those two teams – they were good competition.’
Essex Academy visit the KGV this coming weekend for four T20 fixtures against Guernsey.
The first will be Friday evening before back-to-back matches on Saturday and the final game on Sunday morning.
‘If we do our basics better, we probably win more games,’ said Nightingale.
‘Especially with the ball, I think hitting three lengths and bowling variations and doing the things that we know you’ve got to do in T20 cricket, whether it be on a grass or a mat, and give it a good go.
‘Four games in two days after doing nothing for six months is quite a lot, so I think there’s some tired bodies, so hopefully everyone pulls up all right and we try again against Essex.’
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