ICC World Cricket League Division Five
Jersey v Guernsey
Played at Farmers Cricket Club Ground, St Martin, Jersey
on 25th May 2016 (50-over match)
Toss won by Jersey who elected to field
Umpires: M Hawthorne (Ire) S Redfern (England), JM Williams (West Indies)
Scorers: HAJ Mountford (G) S Kearns (J)
Referee: DT Jukes (Eng)
Jersey won by 7 wickets (with 61 balls remaining)

Guernsey innings			Runs	Balls	4s	6s	SR		Jersey Bowling	O	M	R	W	Econ
GH Smit	c Watkins	b McBey	28	48	2	0	58.33		Hawkins-Kay	9.2	1	17	2	1.82
MWR Stokes	c Dunford	b McBey	36	57	5	0	63.15		McBey		10	2	41	3	4.1	(2w)
OE Newey	lbw	b McBey	3	8	0	0	37.5		Jenner		1	0	7	0	7
JAJ Nussbaumer*	c &	b Watkins	14	28	2	0	50		Watkins		8	1	29	3	3.62	(2w)
LB Ferbrache	c Dunford	b Stevens	8	9	0	0	88.88		Kynman		4	1	19	0	4.75
DR Hooper	c Dunford	b Hawkins-Kay	28	45	3	0	62.22		Stevens		7	0	22	2	3.14	(2w)
OB Nightingale	lbw	b Watkins	0	2	0	0	0		Bodenstein	2	0	3	0	1.5
T Kirk	c Hawkins-Kay	b Watkins	8	26	0	0	30.76		Perchard	1	0	5	0	5
JC Martin†	c Kynman	b Hawkins-Kay	6	14	0	0	42.85
L Nussbaumer	lbw	b Stevens	6	16	0	0	37.5
MLA Ellis	not out		0	1	0	0	0
Extras	(lb 6, w 6)		12
Total	(in 42.2 overs)		149	(at 3.51 rpo)
Fall of wickets 1-58 (Smit, 15.2 ov), 2-65 (Newey, 17.2 ov), 3-75 (Stokes, 21.1 ov), 4-97 (Ferbrache, 24.5 ov), 5-97 (JAJ Nussbaumer, 25.1 ov), 6-97 (Nightingale, 25.3 ov), 7-129 (Kirk, 35.5 ov), 8-139 (Hooper, 38.3 ov), 9-149 (L Nussbaumer, 41.5 ov), 10-149 (Martin, 42.2 ov)

Jersey innings			Runs	Balls	4s	6s	SR		Guernsey Bowling	O	M	R	W	Econ
PW Gough*	c Smit	b L Nussbaumer	20	46	2	0	43.47		Newey	4	0	21	0	5.25
NAT Watkins		b J Nussbaumer	5	12	1	0	41.66		J Nussbaumer	7	2	6	1	0.85	(2w)
BDH Stevens	not out		67	114	5	1	58.77		Hooper	6.5	1	21	0	3.07	(1w)
JW Jenner	c Ferbrache	b Smit	41	50	4	0	82		Ellis	10	0	42	0	4.2
CJ Bodenstein	not out		6	17	1	0	35.29		L Nussbaumer	3	0	17	1	5.66	(2w)
AW Hawkins-Kay	dnb								Kirk	4	0	20	0	5
C Bisson	dnb								Smit	5	1	19	1	3.8	(2w)
CW Perchard	dnb
B Kynman	dnb
JE Dunford†	dnb
R McBey	dnb
Extras	(b 4, w 7)		11
Total	(for 3 wickets in 39.5 overs)		150	(at 3.76 rpo)
Fall of wickets 1-14 (Watkins, 3.5 ov), 2-33 (Gough, 15.4 ov), 3-121 (Jenner, 32.1 ov)

‘Greens suffer first defeat as decisions go against them’ by Rob Batiste

GUERNSEY left Farmers Field heads bowed and silently fuming with some of the decisions which went against them in the seven-wicket defeat by the host island. We will never know to what extent the controversial decisions, which went against key batsmen Matt Stokes and Ben Ferbrache, influenced the game but there can be no doubt they hurt the Greens badly and they never recovered from the blows. There have been discreet mumblings all week as to the standard of umpiring at the tournament and it would be good to be a fly on the wall of any belated enquiry if Ferbrache is called before the ICC to explain his outburst and questioning of the validity of the standing officials at the WCL5 event.

Ben Ferbrache not impressed with ‘catch’ down leg side                                            Guernseysportsphotography

But, for all that, Guernsey should admit they were thoroughly out- performed by a side who knew defeat would be the end of their promotion hopes. Guernsey made one change, with Ollie Nightingale getting his first opportunity of the week at the expense of all-rounder Josh Butler, still troubled by shin splints. Jersey, hampered by injuries to two of their squad, stuck with the same XI and, having won the toss, inserted the Greens who were soon holding their collective breath as GH Smit survived a big shout in Rob McBey’s opening over, while missing a fullish delivery pitched up on his legs. Two balls later Smit edged wide of second slip and he was relieved to see it just fall short of the fielder diving full length. At the other end Stokes got off the mark with a lofted leg glance through the vacant mid-wicket area that went all the way to the boundary. Smit then will have gained confidence from a crunching extra cover drive off McBey for four and two balls later he repeated the stroke as the seamer slightly over-pitched. McBey was unable to impose the same level of pressure as his new ball colleague, Anthony Kay, and his third over saw Stokes punish him for a loose ball on his legs with a crisp flick through mid wicket for his second four of the day. Two balls later Stokes was driving square through the offside for another four and the scoreboard ‘ticked over to 24 after six. It was no surprise to see McBey not given a fourth over and he was replaced by young Jonty Jenner’s spin and it proved a costly change as Stokes straight drove him for a four that very nearly carried the long-on boundary, as well as a steer for two and a single. Jenner lasted one over before being replaced by left-arm spinner Nat Watkins, who was tighter in line and length and was close to having Smit playing on. After 10, Guernsey had reached 39 at which point Peter Gough turned to young speedster Ben Kynman, a notch above Kay in terms of pace, but lacking the accuracy. He failed to trouble either of the increasingly confident Guernsey openers and was soon out of the attack as Gough rang the changes in the hope of a breakthrough and wresting back some control. The move worked a treat as Smit mistimed a drive off McBey and hooked the ball to wide mid on where Watkins took a straightforward catch. Ollie Newey did not last long, falling too far over to the offside and pinned in front of the stumps, umpire Redfern wasting no time in raising her finger to send a disappointed batsman on his way as McBey struck again. For the first time Guernsey were under pressure, the scoring rate slipping as a consequence. Stokes was seeing little of the strike, but when he did it seemed an easier game. Kynman tested him with a short ball and Stokes’ controlled hook brought four welcome runs. At drinks Guernsey had inched along to 72 for two with Nussbaumer stuck on nought, but the skipper was soon away with a firm push through mid-wicket for a comfortable single. Then disaster. Stokes flicked at a full-length ball from McBey and was horrified to see umpire Redfern fire him out, her judgment being that he had nicked it to the impressive Jake Dunford.

Matt Stokes another victim of ‘caught’ down the leg side                        Guernseysportsphotography

Jersey went for the jugular, Gough opting to welcome Ferbrache and the still watchful Nussbaumer with his best bowler, the classy left-arm county standard spinner, Ben Stevens. Nussbaumer greeted him with a slog swept four and then was more than a touch fortunate to spoon one deep to mid-wicket and see the ball fall just short of a sprawling fielder. A crunching off drive for four will have made him feel better, but the pressure was piling onto his shoulders ever more with Ferbrache fired out by umpire Hawthorne even though he clearly missed his swish down the leg side – boy, was he angry. The wheels were falling off fast and Nussbaumer tamely provided Watkins with a simple caught and bowled and all the good early work had been wasted. Nightingale went without troubling the scorers and it was heart-in-mouth time as Tom Kirk was rapped on the pads and heads turned towards Redfern. Dave Hooper and Kirk dug in and mounted a mini recovery, but Kirk was caught at slip leaving the always pugnacious Hooper to bat with the tail in the hope of posting a reasonable score on a surface that looked very flat. Hooper’s resistance ended with a catch to the keeper for which he walked without the need to look at the umpire and with 12 overs still to bat Guernsey were in danger of the ultimate crime, not batting out their allotted overs. That fear was soon realised, the younger Nussbaumer – Luke – and Jason Martin going cheaply to a cock-a-hoop Reds.

Dave Hooper showed resistance                                      Guernseysportsphotography

In the short pre-lunch spell Guernsey needed an early wicket or two, but when they found the outside edge of Watkins’ bat Ferbrache spilled the chance, albeit a difficult one. They did get one, though, courtesy of the captain beating the defensive stroke of Watkins and pegging back his stumps. Nussbaumer thought he had a second with the last ball before lunch, but the umpire kept his finger by his side as Martin pulled off a spectacular diving catch and Stevens escaped. Jersey lunched at 16 for one after eight and after the break edged their way onto 28 when Max Ellis was introduced for the 15th.

Jamie Nussbaumer fired up with 7-2-6-1                                Guernseysportsphotography

But it was the introduction of Luke Nussbaumer at the top end that did the trick, rushing Gough into his pull and Smit took the catch at mid on. One more quick wicket and Jersey would be under pressure, but the game was taken away by the classy Stevens, who put Ellis in a nearby potato field and Sussex hopeful Jenner busied himself with shots to all parts. When Stevens pulled Nussbaumer into another potato patch, it sparked a mass hunt for it among the Jersey Royals. By then Guernsey hopes had all but gone and Stevens elegantly eased his way to an unbeaten 67 and another man-of-the-match award.

‘Groundhog Day’ for the Sarnians at Farmers Field          by Rob Batiste

ON TOP of the world at the start of the day, in danger of leaving it by the end. That was the situation facing Guernsey after their seven-wicket beating by Jersey at Farmers Field yesterday. Guernsey have slipped off the top of the World Cricket League Division Five table and, should they be beaten again by tournament favourites Oman tomorrow, the likelihood is that Jersey will grab second spot and the Greens will have to win a third/fourth play-off on Saturday to survive on the world stage and not slip back into European regional cricket. Guernsey officials had faces of thunder by the end, their hopes of following up last year’s inter-insular win over Jersey with another having been dealt a big blow by umpiring that left much to be desired. And one man who questioned the officials’ judgement rather over-zealously – Ben Ferbrache – should not be surprised if he faces disciplinary action for not simply standing his ground at the crease in disbelief, but shouting his frustration rather loudly as he trudged from the field. Jamie Nussbaumer, who now has to pick up his men for the clash with Oman at Grainville, tried to put a brave face on the position. ‘If at the start the week we were offered three wins out of our first four, we would have bitten their hands off.’ But he made no attempt to conceal the anger at ‘two shocking decisions’. ‘I don’t think it rattled us, but what it did do it took away two of our best batters, both caught off their thigh pads. ‘It felt a bit like Groundhog Day and the inter-insular the two years ago, when we lost the toss. ‘We were not helped by a couple of poor decisions but we know we were below par today. We lost and deserved to lose.’ Guernsey stay just ahead of the Caesareans on net run-rate, but while Nussbaumer’s side end the round-robin against Oman, Jersey have struggling Nigeria to play. An added blow to Guernsey hopes is that Matt Stokes is unlikely to bowl again this week due to a suspected slight side tear.

‘Ferbrache outburst a “level one” ‘     by Rob Batiste

BEN FERBRACHE will be charged with a level one offence by the ICC for his reaction to what his captain described as ‘a shocking decision’ in the defeat by Jersey in World Cricket League Division Five on Wednesday. Although the charge had not yet been made public by the organising body of international cricket, the team management yesterday confirmed that their middle-order batsman had not got away with the outburst. Level one offences are, however, no more than a warning and, as Ferbrache is one of the gents of domestic cricket, it would seem unlikely he would offend again. Guernsey play their final group match of the tournament against Oman today knowing that, with Jersey highly likely to beat Nigeria, they must win to stand any hope of promotion. Ferbrache, meanwhile is one of eight of the WCL5 squad to be named in the Guernsey squad to play back-to-back Sussex Premier League Two matches immediately after the tournament ends. The eight will fly direct to the UK where they take in Eastbourne on Sunday and Lindfield on the Bank Holiday Monday. From those in Jersey, the six giving the Sussex games a miss are GH Smit, Olly Nightingale, Max Ellis, Luke Nussbaumer, Tim Kirk and Andy Hutchison. But the Sussex group remains a strong one with a couple of the players denied the chance to play in WCL5 because of school exams – namely Tom Nightingale and Will Fazakerley – both coming back into contention after playing in the 2015 inter-insular win over Jersey. Also making a return is opening batsman Lucas Barker and Ben Fitchet, who was probably the next batsman in line for this week’s tournament and a shade unlucky to miss out, getting another chance. Left-arm seamer Jordon Martel is also recalled and there is an opportunity for the young leg-spinner Declan Martel. Guernsey, playing under the banner of Guernsey Sarnians in Sussex, won their opening match against Bognor Regis. Squad: Jamie Nussbaumer (captain), Ben Ferbrache, David Hooper, Jason Martin, Ben Fitchet, Jordon Martel, Lucas Barker, Matt Stokes, Josh Butler, Will Fazakerley, Tom Nightingale, Declan Martel, Tom Kimber and Ollie Newey.