This Is Guernsey

Guernsey captain Stuart Le Prevost. (0470850)

GUERNSEY will take on Nepal and the Bahamas next month.

The island side will face the two national teams before they both take part in the ICC World Cricket League Division Five tournament in Jersey. The games add to the growing international exposure the Sarnians have enjoyed since joining the International Cricket Council a couple of years ago.

It promises to be a busy summer for the island’s top players. At the end of July, they tour Hampshire and Sussex before their attention switches to the European Division Two Championships that are being held in the island in August.

‘It’s going to be a challenge,’ said Guernsey captain Stuart Le Prevost about the matches ahead.

‘It should be good and we’re looking forward to it. It will be good preparation for the tournament in August.

‘It’s good to play different opposition to Jersey. Unless they have got some new players, we do know who we’re playing against.’

Guernsey play the Bahamas on Tuesday 19 May and Nepal the next day. Both matches are at the KGV.

The visitors are also playing each other on 18 May.

The Bahamas qualified for Jersey via the Americas region but had a shock last week when they were beaten by Surinam in the ICC Americas Division Two to finish as runners-up.

That result means Surinam joinCanada, USA, Bermuda, Cayman Islands and Argentina in Americas Division One next year.

Nepal qualified for WCL Division Five from the Asian region and are arguably one of the favourites for that tournament, along with Afghanistan, the USA and possibly Jersey.

Their under-19s are particularly strong and have claimed several full- member scalps in the last two under-19 World Cups.

Several of those under-19s are likely to be participating in Jersey.

‘They should be serious opposition,’ said Guernsey Cricket Board chairman Dave Piesing.

‘We don’t really know how strong the Bahamas are – different regions have different strengths. But they are certainly no mugs.

‘I’d be surprised if Nepal aren’t one of the strongest teams [in Jersey]. They’ll be very good opposition.’

Guernsey themselves could be in line to join the World Cricket League if it expands from five divisions to eight next year.

The expansion proposal is being voted on at the ICC AGM in July.

Piesing believes playing the Bahamas and Nepal will be an indicator as to how the island could do.

‘It’s a good bench- mark to see how we stack up,’ said Piesing.

Another test for the island team will be going over to Hampshire and Sussex.

The one match confirmed so far on the trip is against Sussex Academy.

The island has a coaching partnership with the county and the match against their academy will be held at the county champions’ headquarters in Hove.

The season gets underway for the Greens with two friendlies against Jersey next weekend [26 and 27 April].

‘We’re doing them a favour and they are doing us a favour,’ said Piesing.

The island side will be making their first appearance on the new grass wicket at Port Soif when they take on the MCC in June.