This Is Guernsey

By Aaron Scoones

Optimists skipper Andy Biggins may need to be at his best if the side are to make the scores needed to win the big games. (Picture by Daniel Guerin, 0444947)

OPTIMISTS are staring down the barrel of another lean season.

The club that in modern times has been regarded as the team to beat, along with Cobo, had something of a bleak 2007. And things do not look too much healthier this year.

‘It’s going to be a tricky season for us,’ said Optimists captain and former Guernsey skipper Andy Biggins. ‘We’ve probably not got the balanced side we’ve had in the last few seasons. We’re now struggling a bit for numbers.

‘It’s more of a case of getting players out on a regular basis. I’d like to have a nucleus of 14 players that you can bring out but it never works out like that for us. We always use about 25 players, which is never ideal.’

After winning the Carey Olsen championship in 2006, they came third last year and fifth in the Barclays Evening League.

They also failed to do anything in the GCA Cup.

The main reason for this demise was the fact they lost GH Smit to Mavericks before the season had started.

The hard-hitting South African then went onto be named the cricketer of the year.

And if his loss was bad enough, Optimists have since been hit with Ami Banerjee leaving the island to take a teaching job in the UK.

The little Indian was the best batsman in Guernsey. On form it was like bowling to a brick wall.

He was also an accurate seamer who could bowl at a lively pace when the mood took him.

He leaves a massive gap in the team.

‘He’s someone who pretty much guarantees you 50 runs a game and you’re going to miss his quota of overs,’ said Biggins.

‘But it’s a chance for someone else to shine.’

Despite the loss of Banerjee, Optimists still have some quality batting.

Biggins is an aggressive left-hander who is capable of scoring big runs.

Veteran opener Mark Clapham has seen it all while his top-of-the-order partner, Mark Jefferies, is part of the island set up.

And in the middle order, Tim de Putron can score quick runs.

They also have the services of Tom Magson in the championship.

The all-rounder from the Derbyshire League failed to set the world alight in his debut season in Guernsey but he is clearly a good cricketer who could be a major player for Optimists.

They have also signed attractive right-hander Simon Beck who has come back to the game after a number of years away.

In the bowling department, old fashioned medium pacer Steve Queripel, who for some reason has fallen out of favour with  the island boss Dave Hearse, looks set to take the new ball with Chris van Vliet.

A few years back the South African was a promising quickie marked to spearhead the Guernsey side, but since he has returned from university, this promise has seemed to dry up. But he can still send it down at a fair lick.

The words miserly and Mike Kinder, go hand in hand and the veteran medium pacer looks set for yet another season.

Spin will be provided by young leg spinner Ben McVey and from Mark Jefferies, with his occasional off spin.

Biggins wants his bowlers to change their approach.

‘We have been a bit too attacking,’ said Biggins.

‘If we can keep opposition totals down, it gives us a chance with the bat. We need to learn to bowl economically so that we create some pressure.’

Optimists also have at their disposal a number of talented juniors including Chris Whitworth, Adam Hindle and Josh Kendal.

‘They will be given a chance,’ said Biggins.

One other problem they have is that they do not seem to have a regular wicketkeeper.

Ian Damarell looks set to focus on his junior island coaching role while it is not known how committed Andy Good, who has signed from St Saviour’s, will be to weekend cricket.

Biggins is refusing to set his team any specific goals for the year.

‘I’d like to think that we’re not going to struggle to qualify for ‘‘Europe’’ [CI Club Championship] and that’s going to be our aim for the weekend league,’ he said.

‘I’d like to beat a couple of decent sides on the way. As for the Evening League we’ll see how it goes. It’s a new format and hopefully we will have a few decent games.

‘As long as we have some decent games and have some fun.’