SUSSEX chief executive Dave Brooks would be shocked if a Guernsey cricketer does not play for the county within a decade.

‘I’d be amazed if we don’t have one in 10 years, if not five,’ he said.

‘We’re keen to do all we can to develop the game in the island. It’s only a matter of time before we produce a professional cricketer.’

Any locally produced professional cricketer would follow Lee Savident, who played four first class matches for Hampshire before injuries eventually curtailed his county career in 2004.

The ongoing arrangement between Guernsey and Sussex started at the end of 2006.

It sees their cricket performance manager Keith Greenfield and other top coaches come to the Bailiwick to lend their expertise to local players.

In return, they cherry-pick the best of them.

Brooks (pictured), who is in his early 40s, was appointed as Sussex’s first chief executive at the beginning of the year with responsibilities for both the professional and recreational game in the county.