Tim Ravenscroft is one of the Guernsey development squad who will tour UAE next month. (Montage by John O’Neill, 0669905)

THE Guernsey development squad are to compete in the junior version of the County Pro Arch Tournament in the UAE next month.

The pre-season senior competition in March this year saw top county sides Essex, Somerset, Sussex, Yorkshire and Lancashire with Andrew Flintoff, who was returning from injury, battle it out alongside a UAE side.

Yorkshire won the 50-over event and will be back in March next year to defend their title with a number of other counties confirmed to play.

The tournament was held at two international class stadiums, the Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi and the Sharjah Cricket Association Stadium, and so will be the Academy Pro Arch Tournament which the junior island side are taking part in.

The Sarnians will have a tough time as they line up against a UAE national junior side and the Yorkshire, Sussex and Glamorgan academies.

According to Guernsey’s high performance coach, Jeremy Frith, who is leading the party with Mike Kinder, the purpose of the tour is to prepare his players for the under-19 World Cup qualifiers in July.