Guernsey face up to New Zealand’s haka at the 2007 Indoor Cricket World Cup in Bristol. (0488744)
GUERNSEY will play a three-match Test series against England – in indoor cricket.
The games are due to take place on Friday 5 and Saturday 6 March next year at the Indoor Cricket Guernsey centre.
‘It’s good for indoor cricket,’ said ICG chief executive officer Jason Shambrook.
‘It will allow the players in the higher divisions to test their skills against a side that finished fourth in the last World Cup. Also, the players outside of those divisions will get the chance to watch the game at the highest level.’
The event, which varies wildly from the outdoors version, has taken off since the £1m. centre was completed earlier this year.
Since September there have been 22 teams playing every week in four divisions.
There are six sides in the top division, which is the same number of teams in Indoor Cricket England’s national league.
England came fourth in last month’s World Cup in Australia, which the hosts won after defeating New Zealand by 11 runs in the final.
Guernsey did not send a team, but they did to the 2007 World Cup in Bristol having never played the game before.
But Shambrook believes that experience put the Greens in good stead and he fully expects the side to be able to run England close – or even beat them – when they meet next year.
‘We got better as the tournament went on,’ said Shambrook, who was with the team in Bristol.
‘We beat Pakistan and France and we lost heavily to New Zealand, South Africa and Australia, but we weren’t beaten that much by England. Especially playing on our own court – we could beat them.
‘It will certainly be a lot closer than the last World Cup.’
The team’s management will be appointed soon and they will be scouting the leagues for players.
A squad will be announced shortly and training will start after Christmas.
Shambrook said that just because a player was in the island set up for outdoor cricket did not necessarily mean that they would be a shoe-in for the indoor squad.
‘Being a good outside cricketer doesn’t mean that you’ll be a good indoor cricketer,’ he said.
Shambrook went on to say that he has been impressed with the performances in the league of leg spinner James Gale, who is a new-arrival to the island, New Zealander all-rounder Ian Aitchison, who bowls right-handed, and left-handed spin and former Scottish international Dom Rigby.
England are also bringing over their under-19 squad who will take on the island juniors.
The island academy have a team in the top indoor cricket league.
‘We’ll have a good side to play their U-19s,’ said Shambrook.
England will have a travelling party of 28, which includes coaches and physiotherapists.
The action will get under way in the evening of Friday 5 March followed by matches on the Saturday afternoon and then that evening.
Guernsey are looking to have a side in the England National League from next season and they have also confirmed that they will take part in the next World Cup in South Africa in two years’ time.
Article posted on 25th November, 2009 - 2.30pm
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