Inter Insular #34 1985

The match was played at College Field, Guernsey
on Saturday 1st September 1985 (postponed from Sunday 11th August due to rain)
for the John Haig Scotch Whisky Trophy
Umpires Ken Clayton (Guernsey) and Graham Goodyer (Jersey)
Scorers Richard Gauvain (Guernsey) and Jane Le Gros (Jersey)
Jersey won toss and elected to field
Guernsey won by 26 runs
50 overs per side

Guernsey innings    RunsBallsMins4s6sSR Jersey bowlingOvMdnRunsWktsWNbSRER
M C C WebbercPitmanbRobson834310023.5Clarke174461011022.7
P RousselcGallichanbRobson1627412059.3Robson9128220273.1
*P L Le CocqcGibbsbCoward945501020.0Coward8120110482.5
P WakefordcBaileybPitman832310025.0Pitman16555300323.4
R E H AnthonystHolmesbPitman2259573037.3
J RavenscroftcJennerbClarke3861654062.3
M E Kindernotout2527452092.6
G KimbercJennerbPitman19192003100.0
D Piesingdnb
+†G Marquanddnb
M Dobsondnb
Extras (b0, lb7, w3, nb1)11
Total (for 7 wkts in 50 overs)156
Fall of wickets
1-15(Webber),2-26(Roussel),3-43(Wakeford),4-50(Le Cocq),5-92(Anthony),6-118(Ravenscroft),7-156(Kimber)

Jersey innings    RunsBallsMins4s6sSR Guernsey bowlingOvMdnRunsWktsWNbSRER
A GibbscWakefordbAnthony858680013.8Dobson14327310281.9
W GallichancWakefordbDobson2034341058.8Kinder13238200392.9
+†J HolmescMarquandbKinder381051092036.2Anthony12528200362.3
W JennercDobsonbAnthony4641066.7Ravenscroft11325210332.3
M BaileycRousselbRavenscroft811.0140172.7
*P RobsoncAnthonybRavenscroft068000.0
W WebbebDobson2244492050.0
M CowardcPiesingbKinder4690066.7
D BillinghambDobson510101050.0
A Pitmannotout510170050.0
S Clarkenotout210130020.0
Extras (b2, lb10, w2, nb0)14
Total (for 9 wkts in 50 overs)130
Fall of wickets
1-27(Gallichan),2-44(Gibbs),3-49(Jenner),4-57(Bailey),5-57(Robson),6-110(Holmes),7-112(Webbe),8-116(Coward),9-121(Billingham)

 

Wides and no-balls now count in the bowler’s analysis

I Damarell (capt) and W Barrett for Guernsey and B Middleton and S Blampied for Jersey injured since selected for original match

Man-of-the-match J Ravenscroft and R Anthony

PREVIEW

The selection of Phil Roussel was the only real surprise when the Guernsey team to play Jersey next weekend was named on Thursday evening. The three-man selection committee of Mick Wherry, John Appleyard and Tony Ayton were joined by the skipper Ian Damarell and I would have thought the main discussion centred around the last available batting place which I understand went to Roussel. The selectors must have been impressed by Roussel’s brilliant unbeaten 80 for Pilgrims’ A against Optimists last week and their decision to choose him was made easier by the fact that the two Hunters are unavailable – Neil is injured and John on holiday, as is Bryan Preston.
I am surprised selectors have overlooked Salemites’ skipper Ralph Anthony, even though he hasn’t had a good season by his own standards and I would have thought that Julian Wood would have been considered for the batting place given to Roussel.
Mike Kinder and Pierre Le Cocq were not in the beaten GCA side but their recent form has been such that it would have been difficult to leave them out. David Hearse and Jon Ravenscroft booked their places with their good performances for the GCA in Jersey, while Dave Piesing is obviously highly thought of by the selectors although he took just one wicket and was afforded only a total of nine overs in the matches against the JCL and the Jersey under-23s.
While there are four newcomers to the Guernsey side there are three new caps in the Jersey team – Andy Gibbs, Willy Webbe and Simon Clarke. Paul Robson holds on to the skipper’s job and the main surprise is the inclusion of Mark bailey who failed to turn up in time for the start of the GCA-JCL game. The full side in likely batting order is:
Andy Gibbs, John Holmes, Stephen Blampied, Ward Jenner, Mark Bailey, Paul Robson, Dave Billingham, Willy Webbe, Alan Pitman, Barry Middleton and Simon Clarke. 12th man is Steve Carlyon.

Guernsey Press
‘Guernsey to win a tight low-scoring inter-insular’        by Rob Batiste

Jersey go into tomorrow’s Haig Trophy inter-insular at the College Field chasing a hat-trick on two fronts. They will be seeking their third successive win over Guernsey in the series as well as completing a clean sweep of the main inter-island matches this summer. They already have wins under their belts in the inter-league game and at under-23 level, both by the narrowest of margins.
The sides are evenly matched. Jersey look to have a particularly strong batting line-up while the home side probably have the edge in the bowling even though David Hearse has had to withdraw with a serious foot injury. It all points to another tight game and probably a low scoring one.
The College Field wicket is not the best of batting tracks and apart from taking spin should suit the likes of Mike Kinder and Jon Ravenscroft who bowls a good line and length. Because of this I’m glad the selectors have brought in an extra batsman to replace the unlucky Hearse. Gary Kimber is a good choice although, dare I say it, I would have gone for the more experienced Ralph Anthony.
Because of home advantage I go for a Guernsey win and the warm-up game against the Indian tourists on Thursday won’t have done their chanced any harm. Despite their mauling at the hands of Kirti Azad it was a useful Guernsey performance and it gave the players an ideal opportunity to have a close look at the College Field wicket. The match is likely to be a 50 overs per side affair with an 11am start.

The two inter-insular cricket matches scheduled for yesterday, the Haig Trophy match at the College Field and the under-19 game in Jersey, were called off early yesterday morning because of the weather. The matches are likely to be played on Sunday 1 September or 8 September.

‘Blow for Guernsey – skipper misses match through soccer injury’ by Dave Edmonds
Island captain and wicket keeper Ian Damarell is out of tomorrow’s cricket inter-insular match for the Haig Trophy against Jersey at the College Field. He damaged ligaments at the base of a thumb playing football and is unable to keep wicket or hold a bat.
The selectors have brought in Cobo’s Graham Marquand to keep wicket in Damarell’s place and have invited Rovers’ Pierre Le Cocq to captain the side. The choice of Marquand is a bit of a surprise particularly as Pilgrims’ wicketkeeper/batsman Gary Kimber has retained his place in the team as his club colleague, fast bowler Dave Hearse, is still not fit.
The selectors have resisted the temptation to make other changes to the team selected for the postponed match and it now reads: P Le Cocq (captain), M Webber, P Roussel, P Wakeford, W Barrett, G Kimber, J Ravenscroft, M Kinder, D Piesing, M Dobson, G Marquand. 12th man is Alastair Tapp.
An encouraging sign for the Sarnian hopes has been the form of Barrett and Kinder on the Guernsey Touring Cricket Club’s Sussex tour with both bat and ball.

Both teams before the match at College Field                   GEP

Graham Goodyer (Jersey umpire)  Mark Bailey Mike Coward Ward Jenner Alan Pitman Willie Webbe Simon Clarke Ralph Anthony Andy Gibbs Dave Piesing Phil Roussel Pierre Le Cocq Paul Wakeford Mike Kinder Ken Clayton (Guernsey umpire)

Paul Robson Steve Carlyon (12th man) Wayne Gallichan M Dobson J Holmes G Marquand G Kimber J Ravenscroft M Webber D Billingham

MATCH
Guernsey Press
‘Le Cocq’s patched up team beats Jersey’ by Rob Batiste

Pierre Le Cocq’s patched up Guernsey cricket team at last gave local cricket supporters something to shout about when, at the College Field yesterday, they ended Jersey’s domination of inter-insular cricket this season with a 26-run victory over the old enemy in the annual Haig Trophy match.

Jon Ravenscroft   Ralph Anthony   Mike Kinder   Phil Roussel   Dave Piesing   Mike Webber

Miles Dobson   Paul Wakeford   Pierre Le Cocq   Graham Marquand  Gary Kimber                                         GEP

Already denied the services of Ian Damarell, the original selected skipper and wicket-keeper, Guernsey also had to go into the match without the services of all-rounder Warren Barrett who twisted an ankle on the Guernsey Touring Cricket Club tour of Sussex. His withdrawal meant a late call-up for Ralph Anthony and, ironically, the Salemites’ all-rounder, who many thought should have been in the original XI, did as much as anyone to bring the trophy back to Guernsey and prevent a Jersey hat-trick in the series.

Mike Webber faces a ball from Paul Robson while John Holmes and Alan Pitman look on                                     GEP

Anthony shared the man-of-the-match award with his Guernsey colleague Jon Ravenscroft after the pair had rescued the Sarnian innings with a fine fifth-wicket partnership and then each took two wickets as Jersey were bowled out for 130 in reply to the home side’s 156 for seven from 50 overs.
Jersey had their injury problems too. They arrived without the player who has been a thorn in Guernsey’s side for a decade or so, quick bowler Barry Middleton. He pulled out on the eve of the match with a groin strain and batsman Stephen Blampied also had to withdraw with a hand injury. Paul Robson’s disappointment, however, at losing the services of Middleton was eased when he won the toss and put Guernsey in to bat.
Robson himself opened the bowling with young Simon Clarke and they gave little away in a tight opening period. Openers Mike Webber and new cap Phil Roussel were tied down to the extent that only 15 runs came from the first nine overs and at that point the former was brilliantly caught at first slip by Alan Pitman off Robson. Pierre Le Cocq then joined Roussel and they had added only 11 when the tall opener hit a simple catch to mid-on. By the time 50 runs were on the board Guernsey had lost two more wickets and had used up virtually half their overs.

Swashbuckling Gary Kimber justfies his selection to replace David Hearse                         GEP

Paul Wakeford played a shot he will want to forget and was caught at cover in spinner Pitman’s first over and then the skipper himself was neatly picked up at short-leg off the quicker bowling of Mike Coward, Middleton’s replacement. Anthony and Ravenscroft then came together and, after a close study of the bowling on offer, gradually increased the tempo. When rain interrupted the play for a second time, five minutes before the scheduled lunch interval, Guernsey had recovered to 74 for four from 31 overs and on the resumption added a quick 18 before the left-hander was smartly stumped for 22 by John Holmes off Pitman.
Ravenscroft was playing some superb forcing shots off the back foot and he had scored 38 and the score was 118 when he skied a ball to deep mid-off and was well caught by Ward Jenner.

Jon Ravenscroft forces off the back foot                    GEP

Mike Kinder had proved a more than useful ally to Ravenscroft after Anthony’s dismissal and when the Pessimists all-rounder went he kept the scoring ticking along nicely with a mixture of quick singles, neatly placed twos, and the odd boundary. Kinder was joined in the closing overs by young Gary Kimber and he and the Pilgrims’ supporters on the ‘hill’ cheering with an entertaining knock of 19 which included three sixes off the slow bowler Pitman. Kimber was caught going for a fourth six off the final ball of the innings and his wicket gave Pitman figures of three for 55 from a good 16 over spell at the pavilion end.


Phil Roussel looks to hit the cover off the ball                       GEP

The Guernsey total of 156 was certainly nothing to shout home about and the way the Jersey openers Andy Gibbs and Wayne Gallichan dealt with the opening overs of Dobson and Kinder the outlook for the home side seemed as dismal as the weather. Dobson bowled a succession of full tosses in his opening over and Kinder chipped in with a couple when he began at the Rue a L’Or end. However, they slowly found some length and line and made Gibbs and Gallichan graft for their runs.
Twenty-seven had been scored when Guernsey got the important breakthrough in the 11th over of the innings. Dobson got a ball to fly off a good length and when the ball flew off the top edge of Gallichan’s bat Wakeford took a straightforward catch in the gully. At tea Jersey were 35 for one after 18 overs, Gibbs having crawled to five not out in that time and playing straight into the hands of the Guernsey team.
Ralph Anthony had been brought on shortly before tea and it was he who gave Guernsey the initiative with two quick wickets after the interval. Gibbs had raced to eight from 57 balls when he edged Anthony to Wakeford at gully and then five runs later with the score on 49 Ward Jenner top-edged a sweep and was well caught by Dobson running in from backward square-leg.
While Anthony was turning the ball viciously from the Rue a L’Or end Ravenscroft was proving almost as difficult to get away as he charged in from the pavilion end. Then, with the score on 57 and target exactly 100 from 24 overs, Ravenscroft took the wicket of Mark Bailey and Paul Robson. The wicket of Bailey was ideal revenge for Ravenscroft who had seen the batsman hoist the last ball of his previous over into a neighbouring garden. Bailey drove hard outside off stump and Phil Roussel brought his six-foot plus frame down in a flash to take a very neat catch just above the ground at cover.
Robson then tried to smash Ravenscroft over extra-cover and succeeded only in picking out Anthony, who judged the catch well. Guernsey were in the driving seat but gradually John Holmes, who never seems to fail in these matches, and Willie Webbe edged Jersey back into the game. The sixth-wicket pair mixed hitting with sharp running and with 10 overs left the Jersey target was a gettable 62.

Willie Webbe hops around after a vicious inswinger from Miles Dobson. He fell to a similar delivery shortly afterwards                                GEP

Another 55 were needed off seven when Kinder dropped a sharp caught and bowled chance offered by Webbe and the next ball Graham Marquand couldn’t quite hang on to a screamer which flew off the edge of the bat. In the same over, however, Holmes edged a straightforward catch to the keeper Marquand and Jersey were very much in decline again. The next over Dobson knocked over Webbe’s stumps and in no time at all nine wickets were down, Mike Coward well caught in the deep by Dave Piesing and Dave Billingham suffered the same fate as Webbe. And although Alan Pitman and the burly Simon Clarke played out time, Guernsey could afford to relax in the closing overs knowing full well the trophy was back in Sarnian hands.

Jersey Post by Jeff Wiseman
Both sides were forced into making late changes. Guernsey had three absentees including Warren Barrett with an injured ankle while Jersey had to replace Barry Middleton (groin strain), with Mike Coward and Stephen Blampied (finger injury) with Wayne Gallichan.

REVIEW
Guernsey Press
‘Ralph proves a point to selectors!’ by Rob Batiste

I hate to say it, but I told you so! Ralph Anthony should have been in the Guernsey team all along. Ralph’s 11th hour call-up to the Guernsey side and subsequent share of the man-of-the-match award pleased me as much as seeing the immensely popular and unassuming Pierre Le Cocq receiving the Haig Trophy from ‘Chummy’ Poree, President of the Jersey Cricket Association, after Guernsey’s splendid win in the senior inter-insular at the College Field.
It was an almost fairytale ending to a quite dismal cricket season for Anthony, the Salemites’ skipper and lynchpin. After winning the Silk Cut Cricketer-of-the-year award for his tremendous scoring and wicket-taking feats in 1984 Ralph has had a lean season by those lofty standards. He has seen his beloved Salemites team struggle on the Evening League and, to cap it all, he was dropped from the GCA and full Guernsey sides, despite his good record against Jersey in recent seasons. But he was brought back for Sunday’s game when Warren Barrett turned an ankle over in the penultimate match of the GTCC’s tour and confirmed, late on Saturday night, that he would not be fit to take his customary place in the Guernsey side. To have in reserve a player of Anthony’s calibre meant that Guernsey hardly missed Barrett while Jersey could not adequately replace their injured star Barry Middleton.
It as also ironic that Dave Piesing, who gained selection ahead of Anthony for both Sunday’s game and the GCA-JCL game, did not get a bowl. It was purely circumstances that saw the Pilgrims’ leg-spinner not being called upon to bowl. This is confirmed by skipper Pierre Le Cocq who had decided to give spin a try at one end for a couple of overs before tea. He consulted both Anthony and Piesing as to which end they preferred to bowl and then plumped for the left-arm spinner for the reason that he was more likely to be more economical at that crucial stage.

Stand-in captain Pierre Le Cocq attacks during his innings                                   GEP

Anthony then bowled so well – he got the ball to turn and lift viciously at times – and along with Jon Ravenscroft was so economical that Le Cocq could not justify bringing on the leg-spinner. The Guernsey skipper tells me that he had planned to bring back Miles Dobson and Mike Kinder for the last 20 overs. But Ravenscroft and Anthony bowled so well in tandem that he kept them on and delayed bringing back the opening bowlers until the final dozen overs.
Le Cocq handled his bowlers admirably and his tactics could not be faulted, even though he went into the game with his little experience of captaincy. Pierre made his island debut back in 1961 and has been almost an ever-present since then. He estimated that he has missed only three or four Guernsey-Jersey matches in those 24 years and admits that it came as a ‘complete surprise’ when he was asked to skipper the team. Well, if his form holds, he may get another chance of lifting aloft the Haig Trophy in 1986.