Inter Insular #48 1999

The match was played at College Field, Guernsey
on Saturday 14th August 1999
for the Flemings Trophy
40 overs per side (rain delayed)
Umpires Alan Barnett (Guernsey) and Ray Wilson (Jersey)
Scorers John Mountford (Guernsey) and D Livingston (Jersey)
Toss won by Jersey who elected to bat
Jersey won by 95 runs

Jersey innings    RunsBallsMins4s6sSR Guernsey bowlingOvMdnRunsWktsWNbSRER
M HaguecLe PrevostbRich801131346070.8Culverwell15456110903.7
C JonescKimberbCulverwell925340036.0Moody80400005.0
B Smithrunout60781254076.9Birkett40130003.3
T CarlyonstKimberbRich38222840172.7Rich12166200365.5
C Douglasnotout11500100.0Clapham101400014.0
P Scottnotout012000.0
*D Gormandnb
+†S Shortdnb
C Grahamdnb
P Hortondnb
M Reynoldsdnb
Extras (b1, lb5, w1, nb0)7
Total (for 4 wkts in 40 overs)195
Fall of wickets
1-19(Jones),2-135(Hague),3-185(Smith),4-194(Carlyon)

Guernsey innings    RunsBallsMins4s6sSR Jersey bowlingOvMdnRunsWktsWNbSRER
R P HeadingtoncJonesbHague2368763033.8Horton9315120541.7
A Bigginsrunout619280031.6Graham11227100662.5
S E Le PrevostcCarlyonbHorton31180027.3Hague3020101186.7
*W JennercJonesbGraham31090030.0Reynolds5118310103.6
M Claphamc&bSmith3339425084.6Smith4.11123008.22.9
G TappcGormanbReynolds917252052.9
+†G KimberbReynolds036000.0
A BirkettcJonesbSmith611201054.5
G J RichcJonesbReynolds1370033.3
P MoodycShortbSmith4950044.4
M Culverwellnotout046000.0
Extras (b0, lb8, w3, nb1)12
Total (in 32.1 overs)100
Fall of wickets
1-19(Biggins),2-31(Le Prevost),3-34(Jenner),4-59(Headington),5-85(Clapham),6-85(Tapp),7-86(Kimber),8-88(Rich),9-93(Moody),10-100(Birkett)

 

PREVIEW
Jersey Post
‘New look for Jersey’ by Paul Le Conte

Caesareans skipper Dave Gorman is the new captain of the Jersey senior inter-insular cricket side. The team shows five changes to the one that narrowly defeated Guernsey at Grainville in a thrilling match last year. Besides the inclusion of the prolific Australian batsmen Matt Hague and Brad Smith another southern hemisphere man making his debut is Craig Douglas.
[Gorman (43) played youth cricket in Hampshire and then Minor Counties with Berkshire.]

Press 2 August
The island cricket selectors have named a squad of 15 players for the inter-insular match with Jersey on 14 August. The squad will practice together twice in preparation for the game that is currently scheduled to be played at the KGV. Full squad:
Ralph Anthony, Andy Biggins, Adrian Birkett, Mark Clapham, Mark Culverwell, Ian Damarell, Chris Guilbert, Richard Headington, Ward Jenner, Gary Kimber, Stuart Le Prevost, Pierre Moody, Mike Maudet, Gary Rich, Gary Tapp.
‘Jersey name senior side’
The Jersey Island Selectors have announced their XI to take on Guernsey at the College Field a week today. As predicted their Australian duo from LS Insurance will open the batting. Guernsey sides have seen relatively little of Matt Hague and Brad Smith but as Cobo found out in the final of the Insurance Corporation CIKO they can both bat a bit. South African import Craig Douglas will also be making his debut and is likely to bat at number six behind regulars Tony Carlyon and Chris Jones. New skipper Dave Gorman will bat at five. Bearing in mind that Hague, Smith, Jones and Carlyon all offer options with the ball to Gorman, Jersey may have taken a risk by going into the game with four additional bowlers who are not necessarily the same force with the bat as their colleagues. Colin Graham and Paul Horton will provide a threat with the new ball while former captain Mark Reynolds and Jersey’s 1998 cricketer-of-the-year Tom Gales offer variety. Simon Short maintains his ever-present place in the side as wicket-keeper.
‘First caps for Pessimists duo’ by Gareth Le Prevost
NRG Pessimists’ new ball attack of Adrian Birkett and Pierre Moody are two debutants in the Guernsey side announced to face Jersey at the College Field on Saturday. The island selectors have stuck with 10 of the team that regained the Brian Duquemin Memorial Trophy at Grainville earlier in the season, with the one change being behind the stumps with Gary Kimber coming in for Chris Guilbert.
‘The base of the GCA side is there although there were a couple of other options open to us,’ said chairman of selectors Tony Ayton. ‘The main thing we have aimed for is to strengthen the batting and we have struck a happy medium with the balance of the bowling attack. Pierre deserves his place after he was right on the fringe last year when unfortunately he picked up an injury and he has continued to work hard, while the future of Guernsey cricket lies in players such as Adrian.’ The 18-year-old Birkett will be hoping to pick up from where he left off in the rain affected GCA-JCL game. ‘I feel very good – very happy to be selected. I think maybe if the game was at the KGV I might not have been in, but on a quicker track I had a chance,’ commented Birkett. ‘I was pretty nervous to start off with in the GCA game but I was glad to get three wickets and I hope to continue in the same vein.’
Moody finally makes his full Island debut after being a regular member of representative sides for the past three of four seasons. ‘I am glad I’ve got my chance at last. When you have been playing regularly for the island you have to think positively about your chances for selection in the inter-insular.’
The final selection means that Ralph Anthony, Mike Maudet and Chris Guilbert are the ones missing out from the squad of 14. Team in batting order: R Headington, A Biggins, S Le Prevost, W Jenner (capt), G Tapp, G Kimber, M Clapham, G Rich, P Moody, A Birkett, M Culverwell. 12th man S Bisson.

New caps Adrian Birkett and Pierre Moody                                   GEP

Guernsey Press
‘Last ball agony steels the determination to win’ by Gareth Le Prevost

The day of reckoning for Guernsey’s top cricketers is here again. Already a year has passed since the agonising last ball defeat at Grainville – a heart breaking experience for every Guernsey supporter there. How the players felt one can only guess. Of the 11 players who represented Guernsey on that day no more could have been asked and seven of that side take to the field again today, weather permitting. How will last year’s experience have affected them? My belief is that it has given them a greater determination to succeed this time around. The Players are without doubt talented, otherwise they would not have been selected for such a big match, but the all-important aspect will be the mental approach.
As a team there s a very good spirit and camaraderie between them and I can only see confidence in the individual participants. There will obviously be a few nerves, especially if you are an 18-year-old debutant, but Adrian Birkett is fortunate that he will have the likes of Ward Jenner, Mark Culverwell, Gary Kimber and Richard Headington around him, all of whom are used to inter-insular pressure on the sports field. Headington in particular has an unnerving calmness about him and Jenner speaks of how having people such as him in the side makes things easier for a captain. But can Guernsey turn ‘what might have been’ into ‘we’ve done it’ at the College Field today.
I do not want to start making tremendous predictions and probably Jersey field a stronger side this year than last, but the atmosphere around the Guernsey side makes me believe it is possible that Jenner’s men will end our sorry run. At the GCA-JCL match I saw a positive attitude in the Guernsey players that they have not had for a long time. They now have proof – the Brian Duquemin Memorial Trophy – that they can produce a winning performance in the major games and if that continues today I believe Jersey could be flying home empty handed.

‘Skipper calls for positive thinking’ by Gareth Le Prevost
It is not unusual for a Guernsey captain to be heading into an inter-insular in a confident frame of mind. Ward Jenner is no different, But following the excellent victory in July’s GCA-JCL game at Grainville and rumoured discord in Jersey cricket at the present time, Jenner has every right to be the most confident of latter day Island skippers about regaining the Flemings Trophy.
Jenner always comes across as an assured character and when talking to him on the subject of tomorrow’s main event it would be wrong to say he is optimistic – that is too light a word – but he has total confidence in his 11. ‘I am very happy with the side. I think it very well balanced, there are no weak links and we will go out looking like a strong unit,’ said the man who, for 13 years, pulled on the red cap of Jersey.
The side shows just the change of wicket-keeper from the victorious GCA XI so it is a question of keeping faith. ‘We have a squad system from where the team is selected and the GCA side was picked from the same squad. So the nucleus of players is obviously the same but we picked the strongest side for this game. As it turns out most of the players are playing in both, and so they will have confidence from the GCA game. We have brought Gary Kimber in because, ideally, it is great to be in a position with just three or four wickets down with a few overs to go and being able to send in Gary who can provide a destructive innings. We looked at the two keepers and we considered Chris Guilbert to be a scamperer and accumulator of runs. But we have several of those in the side already. Gary is more of a hitter and may or may not come off, who knows. But if he does he can make a huge difference and that is why we chose him. That said, Chris and the other guys who have been left out from the squad are unlucky.’
So what does the Old Victorian turned Optimists regard as his team’s main strengths? ‘In our top four we have batsmen who are capable of taking the game away from Jersey, Players like Richard Headington, Andy Biggins, Stuart Le Prevost and myself, can all score quickly. After that we bat all the way down. Mark Culverwell will be at 11 but it is not as if he cannot hold a bat. In the bowling we have learnt to pick more controlled bowlers who will nag batsmen out. I think Culverwell and Pierre Moody provide a good foil for each other at the start of the innings and I will be looking for those two to bowl lengthy spells. Following those guys Gary Rich should bowl a long spell – I like Gary’s attitude, I think he is a big game player and I would always have him in my side. Mark Clapham has got an element of control and surprise about him and I also have Headington and Adrian Birkett available. I have a full hand of bowlers for different circumstances.’
Of course Jenner can also provide the low down on most of the Jersey side. Rumour has it that there has been friction among the selectors and players in the Jersey set-up, and the build up to the game has gone anything but smoothly. ‘The side they have picked is a strong one but it is a bit of a league of nations and I think some of the locals have not responded kindly to that. The Australian openers, Brad Smith and Matthew Hague are obviously good players, but I don’t think they’ll take the game away from you. They are good against bad bowling but they won’t score quickly if we bowl tightly and back it up with good fielding. Tony Carlyon is very dangerous – he is one player who can put the game beyond you, but the rest of the batsmen do not cause me the same concern. they haven’t got our strength in depth in batting.’
The news that Peter Scott has replaced Tom Gales in the Jersey line-up perhaps indicates that the Jersey selectors are more worried about their batting than their bowling attack. Since last year Jersey has also changed their skipper from Mark Reynolds to Dave Gorman and Jenner has his own ideas behind the alteration. ‘I think the selectors believe they need a strong hand on some of their fiery characters and they also did not want to guarantee Mark Reynolds a place in the team by naming him captain. Gorman is a more traditional captain who has his own ideas and he believes he can work people out.’
But while there is no doubt that both sides have talented players Jenner points out that approach to the game will be all important come tomorrow. ‘We ought to go out thinking of winning. It is human nature that when you have not won for a number of years you think someone will take it away from you even when you are in a comfortable position. It is also normal that Jersey have developed a certain arrogance because they are used to winning. Bt I want players to go out with the attitude that “I am going to dominate and win the game for my team”. Team spirit is very important and we will be on top in that department, but individuals have to take things on themselves and play with confidence.’
This is a point that Jenner puts extra emphasis on with regards to young Adrian Birkett. ‘He was definitely nervous in the GCA game but he has played a number of big games this season, on and off the island, and he has got goof reviews. You have to remember that this is a one-off game and you should enjoy it.’
But how does a Jerseyman feel on captaining Guernsey? ‘Certain people will always hold that against me. All I can say is I an enjoying living here and playing cricket. Like everyone else I want to play in the biggest game of the season and the selectors have chosen me to captain the side, so basically it is not my problem.’
Guernsey have a very depressing recent record in inter-insulars, their last win dating back to 1991. The Caesareans have won the last seven meetings to lead the overall series 14-7. The only survivor of Guernsey’s last success – a 48-run win at the College Field – is wicketkeeper Gary Kimber.
Team in batting order:
Richard Headington (aged 35), Andy Biggins (24), Stuart Le Prevost (21), Ward Jenner (34), Gary Tapp (35), Gary Kimber (34), Adrian Birkett (18), Mark Clapham (33), Gary Rich (35), Pierre Moody (27), Mark Culverwell (33)

MATCH
‘Aussies pile on the misery’

What an anti-climax! Jersey retained the Flemings Trophy at the College Field on Saturday afternoon, hammering Guernsey by 95 runs. It is now eight defeats on the bounce for the sad Sarnians. Yet again LS Insurance’s Australian pair of Matthew Hague and Brad Smith put together a partnership of over 100 – in fact more than the whole Guernsey side managed – to lay the foundations for a thoroughly convincing win.
Following last year’s epic encounter, any spectators who arrived for a possible repeat were left severely disappointed by a home side that failed to produce any type of challenge for a confident Jersey outfit. Hague won the man-of-the-match award for his outstanding knock of 80 but he was as good as the bowlers let him be. I don’t want to focus on the bad points of the Guernsey display but the majority of the attack will know they can produce so much better. The one exception was Mark Culverwell who bowled superbly throughout his 15 overs.
Adverse weather made for a delayed start and the two captains ultimately decided on a 40 overs per side game with Dave Gorman winning an important toss. With a damp outfield and soggy run-ups making life difficult for the side fielding first, Gorman had no hesitation in asking Guernsey to field. Initially this did not prove to be too much of a hindrance for Guernsey with Culverwell racing in from the pavilion end and allowing debutant Pierre Moody the advantage of a slight slope from the other. Moody did not look at his accurate best but he did well to keep the run-rate down at the start of the innings.
Jones went in Culverwell’s fifth over with Gary Kimber taking a fine catch low to his right from a ball of good length just outside off stump. This brought Smith in to join Hague and at 49 for one and with half of the innings complete Guernsey had every reason to feel happy with the situation. Then things started to get away from the Sarnians. Culverwell’s spell came to an end after 12 overs – an effort of which he can be proud – and the unfortunate Mark Clapham, who replaced him, saw 14 struck off his first and only over.
The Australian pair batted as you would expect decent players to bat – they respectfully defended the good ball but were very quick to seize upon anything loose. It shows how ell Culverwell bowled when the first boundary to be taken from his bowling was in his ninth over. Gary Rich bowled well enough in his 12-over stint from the Rue a l’Or end, although his figures were tarnished by bowling when the end of innings hitting – not slogging – was taking place. But he did deserve the two wickets he took.
Hague timed his acceleration perfectly. He brought his 50 up from 86 balls and the other 30 of his runs came from just 27. He hit six fours in his knock and deserved the applause he received after he finally holed put to Stuart Le Prevost at long-off to end the partnership on 114. Tony Carlyon then came to the wicket and did what he has done so many times before – plunder runs off a Guernsey attack. Carlyon did not waste any time getting a sighter as he smacked the ball several times through his favourite area at extra cover. Smith finally went for a well made 60 fro 78 balls, in an innings which included four boundaries. Gary Tapp produced some good work on the boundary and his throw caught Smith short of his ground attempting a second run. Carlyon produced a lean blows before departing for 38 from just 22 deliveries and the Jersey innings ended on 195 for four.

Guernsey’s reply started comfortably enough with Andy Biggins and Richard Headington never looking in much difficulty but in the ninth over the rot set in. Biggins was run out after he had come a long way down from the non-striker’s end looking for a single. A lack of communication appeared the problem but nevertheless Guernsey had lost their first wicket. Le Prevost did not last long with Paul Horton having him caught at cover and by the Jersey team’s reaction they knew they had the big wicket. Skipper Jenner also spent little time at the crease with Chris Jones taking a great catch at first slip to account for him off Colin Graham’s bowling.
By this point it was obvious to see that one of the main differences on the day was that Jersey seldom bowled a bad ball and Guernsey could not score at a decent rate. Headington was next to go after compiling a patient 23 – a second of four good catches for Jones. Mark Clapham provided the main resistance for the home side with a gutsy 33 but when he fell to Smith it started a collapse which saw Guernsey lose their last six wickets for just 15 runs. Mark Reynolds did much of the damage with three for 18, Tapp, Kimber ad Rich his victims in his five-over spell. Smith also finished with three and it was he who Adrian Birkett attempted to sweep only to find the hands of Jones at deep square leg to put Guernsey out of their misery – 100 all out. All that was left was for Gorman to collect the trophy and Hague to open his champagne after being named man-of-the-match by Bob Baxter.

REVIEW
Guernsey Press
‘No scapegoats – just action required’ by Rob Batiste

Eight miserable years. On Saturday’s evidence Guernsey’s sorry run of losses in cricket’s big game may stretch into double figures. There is no point blaming selectors, players. captains or Jersey’s willingness to play Australians and South Africans ahead of their own home grown stars, we are simply not good enough and it is Guernsey’s duty to improve, not apportion blame.
Hague and Smith have shown time and again this season how to bat properly. Get your eye in, build an innings and don’t throw it away. By and large Guernsey batsmen do not have the mental strength, skill and desire to post big knocks against good, tight bowling. It is, sadly, indicative of our game where still too much emphasis is placed on the biff-bang evening game, players lack of commitment to practice and weekend cricket, precious few youngsters are coming through to challenge the old guard and there is a sad lack of meaningful cricket against visiting opposition.
Guernsey cricket’s administrators need to take a long, hard look at how we end this dismal run. Just as England’s cricket power brokers are wising up to the need for change, it is time Guernsey cricket – all elements of it – looks long and hard at itself before we become a laughing stock across the water. We, the supporters of the game, don’t want scapegoats, just action. Few Guernsey players came out of Saturday’s game on the credit side, but two that notably did were paceman Mark Culverwell and the skipper Ward Jenner. Culverwell, struggling all season with niggling injuries, showed the fierce determination and skill required to test quality batsmen such as Hague and Smith. Jenner, meanwhile, was an inspiration in the field, in the face of ugly taunting by a handful of drunk visitors who were present to support their Aussie club colleagues Hague and Smith, but in fact were making it harder for the Australians to concentrate on the job in hand.
The Jersey-raised Guernsey captain may rue one or two of his decisions, notably the introduction of Optimists teammate Mark Clapham, but he remains our only realistic candidate as captain, again a sad reflection on the local game, surely not? For the good of Guernsey cricket let us hope the man stays here for a long while yet.