GUERNSEY are bullish about their chances of winning the European under-15 Second Division Champion-ships in La Manga next week. ‘I’d expect us to do very well and I’d be disappointed if we didn’t win it,’ said manager Mark Renouf.

‘We’ve got a strong team all-round with a particularly strong bowling attack, even with Tim [Ravenscroft] not going.’

The 13-man squad heading to the Spanish sport complex will be without young cricketing sensation Ravenscroft, who cannot make the trip due to his commitments with Hampshire.

‘The boys enjoy his company as well as cricket ability, but at the end of the day it gives the others an opportunity to shine,’ said Renouf.

All the games are to be played on an artificial wicket and will be 35 overs per side. The Sarnians face Cyprus in their first pool match on Sunday before coming up against Gibraltar, Belgium and Spain.

Renouf does not know much about the opposition.

‘We know very little,’ he said.

‘We’ve played Belgium before in the same age group in a tournament and beat them. They have a lot of players from the subcontinent.’

The other group is made up of Jersey, Isle of Man, France and Germany. A final with the Caesareans is very much on the cards for Guernsey.

‘I think the boys would be very keen for that,’ said Renouf.

He also stated that there was an awful lot riding on this tournament. Success could lead to them being promoted to Division One and therefore his team would not be taking things lightly.

‘At the end of the day we won’t allow that,’ he said.

‘We’re going to go out and play hard. The view is to get up into the next division which includes the like of Denmark, the Netherlands, Scotland and Ireland.

‘By winning this it gives Dave Piesing [Guernsey Cricket Board chairman] more ammunition to get us into that division. We’re going to have a good time but we expect to do it on the field.’