GUERNSEY could play against 2009 ICC World Twenty20 stars Ireland, Scotland and the Netherlands next season.
‘I’m excited by the possibility but we’ve got some hard work to do to get there,’ said Guernsey captain Stuart Le Prevost (pictured).
The three European countries have been turning heads in the competition that is being played to sell-out crowds at Lord’s, the Oval and Trent Bridge at the moment.
The Netherlands caused the biggest upset so far after they pulled off a shock defeat over England at the ‘Home of Cricket’ on the opening day of the tournament, a week yesterday.
The Dutch and Scotland have since been knocked out while Ireland, who enjoyed a fine win over Test side Bangladesh in the group stage, progressed through to the Super Eights.
The three teams will also be part of ICC European Division One league next year. The league is made up of the top six ranked nations in Europe and that is determined by their world rankings.
Ireland, with a world ranking of 11, are currently ranked one in Europe, followed by the Netherlands and then Scotland, with Denmark fourth and Italy fifth.
Jersey, 30th in the world, are ranked six.
Guernsey are ranked 38th in the world after coming second in the recent ICC World Cricket League Division Seven and are number eight in Europe.
For them to overtake their great rivals in the rankings, they need to gain promotion from the Division Six tournament that is being held in Singapore at the end of August.
They also need to make sure that they get the better of the seventh-ranked European team Norway, who are also taking part in Singapore and jump above them in the rankings.
Promotion to Division Five which is being held in Nepal in January would see Guernsey come up against the hosts, the USA, Fiji, the other promoted side from Division Six and Jersey.
It is here in the remote Himalayan country, that Guernsey would have to make sure they finish above Jersey in Division Five and jump above them in the world rankings to reach European Division One.
‘Jersey are clearly in pole position,’ said Guernsey Cricket Board chairman Dave Piesing.
‘For them to be overtaken, we’ve got to get promoted and then finish above them in Nepal.’
However, if Guernsey do reach Division One they are unlikely to come up against the very best Ireland, Scotland and the Netherlands can offer.
The likes of Ireland’s wicketkeeper-batsman Niall O’Brien and Boyd Rankin and the Netherlands’ Dirk Nannes and Ryan ten Doeschate hold first class contracts.
Their counties or states are not obliged to release them for the competition.
Guernsey already have experience of two of the Dutch players that have featured in the World Twenty20.
Mudassar Buhkari and Tom de Grooth came over with the Dutch A side in 2007 to play the island side.
Right-hand bat De Grooth was the main man for the Netherlands in their shock last ball win over England, hitting a quickfire 49.
But the 30-year-old did not have such a rosy time at the KGV two years ago when his highest score was 27 in the three-game series that Guernsey won 2-1.
‘We hammered them in the first two games,’ said Piesing. ‘With playing them and Namibia and Kenya, it’s good to put on performances against teams like that and then see how they are doing in bigger tournaments.’
Article posted on 13th June, 2009 - 2.30pm
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