Inter Insular #8 1959

The match was played at College Field, Guernsey
on Thursday 6th August 1959
Umpires K G Clayton (Guernsey) and L H Honey (Jersey)
Scorers not known (Guernsey) and (Jersey)
Toss won by Guernsey who elected to bat
Match drawn

Guernsey innings					Runs	Balls	Mins	4s	6s	SR		Jersey bowling	Ov	Mdn	Runs	Wkts	W	Nb	SR	ER
R W Clark	lbw		b	Knight	20							Le Marquand	16	2	52	3			32	3.3
R J Marquis			b	Knight	1							Knight	16	3	61	3			32	3.8
A C Bisson	run	out			21							Gallichan	11	4	23	1			66	2.1
*R C N Roussel	lbw		b	Poree	3							C Poree	12	2	49	1			72	4.1
W F Druce			b	Le Marquand	51							Blampied	7.2	1	25	1			43.2	3.5
B W Sarre			b	Le Marquand	13
+†W Robilliard	c	Coleman	b	Knight	2
G Offen	c	R Poree	b	Gallichan	25
J Tranter	c	R Poree	b	Blampied	52
C Eley	c	C Poree	b	Le Marquand	22
I N McCave	not	out			0
Extras (b, lb, w, nb)					8
Total (in 62.2 overs)					218
Fall of wickets
1-3(Marquis),2-40(Bisson),3-44(Clark),4-53(Roussel),5-100(Sarre),6-115(Druce),7-119,8-153,9-210,10-218

Jersey innings					Runs	Balls	Mins	4s	6s	SR		Guernsey bowling	Ov	Mdn	Runs	Wkts	W	Nb	SR	ER
R F B O'Callaghan	c	Tranter	b	McCave	105							Offen	17	1	50	3			34	2.9
M Mallinson	c	Clark	b	Sarre	52							McCave	9	1	39	4			13.5	4.3
D Coleman	lbw		b	Offen	17							Eley	10	0	46	0				4.6
W Blampied	c	Tranter	b	Offen	13							Sarre	12	0	39	1			72	3.3
R Osment	c	Tranter	b	Offen	15							Tranter	5	0	36	0				7.2
*R Knowles	st	Robilliard	b	McCave	1
C J Poree	not	out			5
+†R Poree			b	McCave	0
F Le Marquand			b	McCave	1
J Gallichan	not	out			1
G Knight	dnb
Extras (b, lb, w, nb)					4
Total (for 8 wkts in 53 overs)					214
Fall of wickets
1-110(Mallinson),2-150(Coleman),3-182,4-194,5-203,6-211,7-213(R Poree), 8-213(McCave)

PREVIEW

Press

‘Unenviable task of cricket selectors in choosing team to play against Jersey.’ by John Le Poidevin

Soon the island cricket selectors, Lt-Col Carl E Blad and Messrs FE Stroobant, RCN Roussel and WF Druce will be getting into a huddle to choose a team to represent Guernsey against Jersey at the College Field on August 6th. I don’t envy them their task.

It is always a difficult job but this year, it seems, it is going to be harder than usual. Sometimes selectors are embarrassed by an abundance of talent. This is certainly not the case at the moment in cricket at island level. The main difficulty is whom to select among the bowlers. Only Colin Eley, spin, and Graham Offen, speed, of Pessimists are certainties.

Batting presents few problems. Roussel is himself in excellent form and Druce is currently enjoying his best season for many years. Alan Bisson was solid on Thursday in his first match in the island this term and other batsmen who will stake a strong claim include Ian Lloyd, Simon Hollyer-Hill and Philip Searle of Elizabeth College, R ‘Nobby’ Clark (Pessimists) and Dick Vaudin (Optimists)

Bill Robilliard, Pilgrims, is in a class of his own at wicket-keeper and can also open the innings if necessary. Searle is a good pace bowler but his recent back injury does not appear to have healed completely and he has not been a force as a bowler since.

Another bowler is required to share the new ball with Offen. Neville Smith would have been the obvious choice but he will be away from the island. It seems that Peter Smith of Rovers may get the berth.

Clark had a fine innings last Sunday against Fox CC and another good knock would make him a strong candidate for one of the opening batting positions. If he is selected to play I would suggest that he be asked to captain the team again. I am a strong believer in selecting a side first and a captain from within its ranks. Should the selectors decide that Clark does not warrant a place as a batsman then Roussel will probably be the skipper. Although not happy with the bowling strength I can see a team along these lines emerging from the selection committee’s forthcoming meeting:

SJ Hollyer-Hill, W Robilliard(Pilgrims), AC Bisson, RCN Roussel, MI Lloyd, PJ Searle, DR Vaudin(Optimists), WF Druce(Pessimists), G Offen, C Eley(Pessimists), PK Smith(Rovers).

[Lt-Col CE Blad died 21 Sept 1982]

‘Combined XI selected to meet Jersey’ by John Le Poidevin

The island selectors have nominated what could be called a combined Elizabeth College-Pessimists team to represent Guernsey against Jersey in the top cricket match of the season at the College Field next Thursday. There is only one member of the side who is not a member of the Pessimists or has played for College this summer. The odd man out is wicket-keeper Bill Robilliard of Pilgrims. The island side differs in four positions from the one I suggested last week. And in two of the changes I might have been correct if the players I named had been available – they were Philip Searle of the College and Dick Vaudin of Optimists.

Robin Roussel will skipper the side which also consists of: RW Clark, AC Bisson, SJ Hollyer-Hill, W Robilliard, BW Sarre, WF Druce, J Tranter, G Offen, C Eley, IN McCave. 12th man DB Lloyd.

C Eley B Sarre W Druce W Robilliard G Offen, J Tranter, I McCave, K Clayton (umpire)

R Marquis R Roussel, R Clark A Bisson

Undoubtedly the shock choice is Jim Tranter the Pessimists spin bowler. Tranter has very little opportunity to match his guile with the skill of the batsmen for he is rarely used in League cricket – which is no real guide to this type of match in any case – and hardly ever plays in afternoon cricket. In fact, to my knowledge, the only notable performance put up by him this season was on May 28 when he took six wickets for 46 in Pessimists’ victory over the College. His selection is even more surprising as an additional spinner to Colin Eley.

The selected team is loaded with players who are accustomed to opening the innings. In this category come the College openers Hollyer-Hill and Sarre, Clark, Bisson, Robilliard and Druce. Of these however it must be added that the last four are equally at home down the order.

In the corresponding match last year Guernsey gained a moral victory failing by only a few runs to win with wickets to spare. Jersey sees tom have some new stars this term, however, and if they bring their best team over it should prove too strong for anything we can field in Guernsey. I admit that I did not select him either but being wise after the event it seems that the selectors might have erred in not picking John Martel. He is the type of batsman who can bat all day if need be – a batsman who nearly always gets a good score. It was due to a great extent to his batting that GICC were saved from defeat by GCL on Thursday.

Post Thursday 6th August 1959

D Lewis-Bowen has had to withdraw from the Jersey side chosen to play against Guernsey in Guernsey on 6th August. His place will be taken by J Gallichan.

 P Bower  (12th man) W Blampied R O’Callaghan F Le Marquand T Knight C Poree J Gallichan M Mallinson

R Poree R Knowles R Osment D Coleman L Honey (umpire)

[RFB O’Callaghan played 13 times for Buckinghamshire scoring 257 runs, 8 matches in 1939 and 5 more ten years later in 1949. His best scores were 43 against Norfolk and 61 against Herts. He was born in 1908 and died in 1989]

MATCH

Press

‘Some glorious cricket in inter-insular game at College Field’

A glorious day’s cricket ended at the College Field yesterday with Guernsey and Jersey once again sharing the honours in the annual inter-insular match. Only a handful of spectators witnessed the exciting battle in which 432 runs were scored and 18 wickets gained.

Highlighting the lively proceedings was a century by 51-year-old R O’Callaghan of Jersey. Other features included three half centuries – two by Guernseymen – and a very thrilling last over by fast bowler McCave in which he dismissed two Jerseymen and in so doing robbed the visitors of almost certain victory. This played out the over a little and instead of taking two overs to get eight runs in the final four minutes only one over was possible – and Jersey scored only three runs in it to fail by five runs to snatch a dramatic victory.

Ian McCave

Fate certainly took a big hand in making the match interesting from the very outset. Winning the toss Guernsey captain R Roussel elected to make first use of the wicket which was, for most of the time, fairly docile. Stepping into the team because of the indisposition of Hollyer-Hill, R Marquis lasted only a few minutes and Guernsey were one wicket down for only three runs. Jersey’s opening attack did not look particularly threatening with former Pessimists and Guernsey bowler T Knight and ‘Muratti’ footballer F Le Marquand failing to bother the batsmen unduly. Marquis lost his wicket by playing over a Knight delivery and was yorked.

Bisson and Clark got Guernsey on its feet again and in the first half an hour 18 runs were on the board. Gaining in confidence with every over the batsmen looked for shots and a hook off Knight by Bisson and a square cut off Le Marquand by Clark were delightful to watch. Thirty-six runs had been put on by this wicket when an unfortunate misunderstanding led to Bisson being run out. Bisson played Knight slowly to square leg and the batsmen scampered for a sharp single. The Jersey fieldsman W Blampied misfielded, making the shot worth an extra run – Bisson ran back for it but Clark was not anticipating this and the former was stranded half way down the wicket.

Clark was obviously unsettled by this incident and he missed with a rather wild looking pull shot to be rapped on the pads and given out leg before. Again Knight was the bowler. Now Guernsey were struggling with three wickets down for 41 runs. Roussel, a player in form, was at the crease and Guernsey’s hopes appeared to rest on his powerful shoulders. For 10 minutes he played carefully against a new pace bowler, J Gallichan, who had replaced Le Marquand at the Rue a l’Or end. Then he drove this bowler through the covers for three and the spell was broken. Another change was effected – spin bowler Poree taking over from Knight – and it paid immediate dividends for the Guernsey captain was out in the same way as Clark. What a challenge faced the remaining batsmen.

Luckily for Guernsey they were up to it. W Druce joined by B Sarre did a similar side-saving job to that effected earlier by Clark and Bisson. But in this case the batting was more confident and the strokes more polished. Druce excelled and dominated the crease, his cover driving being a feature of his tremendous innings. At the other end Sarre was more docile but was nevertheless playing a valuable innings. When he left the Guernsey total had reached three figures. Druce carried on and the next forecast was whether or not he would reach his half century before lunch. A quick last over was taken by Le Marquand and Druce raised his 50 with a late cut. The Jerseymen had the last word however and Druce was bowled to make the lunch time score 115 for six – a very unhealthy looking total. It was a sparkling champagne brand of batsmanship in the 66 minutes following the interval that caught the imagination of all.

G Offen and J Tranter hit out to good effect to put on 34 runs for the seventh wicket. Tranter continued the onslaught when Offen left and, though some of his shots were uppish they were all safe.

Tranter, a surprise choice as an additional spin bowler, certainly earned his place with his batting. Fellow spin bowler C Eley put on 57 cracking runs for the eighth wicket with each batsman putting up his best ever College Field performance. The partnership was broken when Eley was caught deep at backward square leg. One wondered now if Tranter was to be denied the half century he so richly deserved. But McCave held out and Tranter passed the ‘hurdle’. Ironically enough in reaching his 50 he gave his only chance – scooping up a high catch to square leg R Knowles and running two as the fieldsman dropped the ball.

Guernsey had taken just over three hours to get their runs. And Jersey were left with a little under three hours to win. An intriguing position. O’Callaghan and M Mallinson settled down very early and soon the scorers were being kept busy. In the 50 minute spell before tea they had scored 46 runs and increasing the pace after the interval they raced on to a hundred partnership. It was grand to watch. But the batsmen did not have things all their own way. Eley bowled excellently and beat both the batsmen. And he was unlucky not to gain O’Callaghan’s wicket with his last ball before tea. The veteran Irishman mistimed a drive to the off and a chance was given to Roussel who, though getting his hands to the ball, failed to hold on to it. The prolific partnership was eventually broken by Sarre who had Mallinson well caught by Clark at mid-on.

Eley then had further bad luck. Coleman should have been caught by McCave who was fielding fairly close to the bat at about mid-wicket and off the next delivery O’Callaghan drove high and deep to be dropped by Tranter near the boundary line.

Offen replaced Eley and in his first over of this spell had Coleman leg-before. The match position now was that Jersey required 68 runs in 41 minutes with eight wickets standing. It certainly looked well within their grasp … especially with O’Callaghan still at the wicket. To the delight of everyone O’Callaghan reached his century – scored in 127 minutes – with a cover drive off Sarre for three. Soon after Sarre had him caught by Tranter in the gully.

W Blampied and R Osment hit out well but once they had been dismissed – the former bowled and Osment well caught by Tranter at long-on – the position became more difficult for Jersey. The clock was now the chief opponent for them. McCave was brought back into the attack and he justified the captain’s faith in no uncertain manner. Four minutes to go and still eight runs were needed. Time for two overs with no time wasting.

There certainly was no gamesmanship and the Guernsey players moved smartly into action. McCave’s first ball was cut for a single by Le Marquand. Poree scored one off the second and the over was going well – for Jersey. Then they were shattered. Le Marquand was bowled and R Poree, who had raced to the wicket, was bowled with the next ball. Gallichan was obviously unprepared for this and was unable to get to the wicket as quickly as the previous batsman. He scored a single off McCave’s over but by this stage the four minutes were exhausted, the match was drawn.

With 15 minutes to go one was talking of at least a moral victory for Jersey. As things materialised a draw seemed a very satisfactory result. It was a great match!

Star

Cricket thriller: Batsmen raced to crease. Inter-Insular ends in exciting draw.

A magnificent century, three sterling half centuries and a total of 432 runs, climaxed in a thrilling finish, made yesterday’s Inter-Insular cricket match at the College Field one to remember. The result was a draw and, after a day of fluctuating fortunes, it was the fairest end.

When thanks to spirited batting by the tail-enders Guernsey scored 218 it seemed likely that they would win, and when the Jerseymen had over a 100 on the board without loss of a wicket it seemed as if the visitors would win. In the end Jersey’s wickets fell like ninepins as batsmen raced to the crease in an effort to knock off the winning runs. But the winner was the clock, and Jersey were still four short of the Guernsey score with two wickets in hand when the umpires drew stumps.

Winning the toss Roussel elected to bat first on a wicket that played quite easily. Jersey’s opening attack did not seem to carry much threat but with only three runs on the board Marquis was out – yorked by Knight. the ex-Pessimists and GICC player. Clark and Bisson played well and gradually forced the score along. They were both a little uncomfortable at times but in the main were on top of the Jersey attack. Bisson hit one glorious four – a hook off Knight – and Clark matched this shot with an excellent square cut to the boundary off Le Marquand. With the score at 12 Clark was dropped in the gully by Osment. It was a difficult chance but the fieldsman ought to have scooped the ball inches off the ground.

The opening bowlers toiled for 50 minutes before Le Marquand was replaced at the Rue a l’Or end by Gallichan – a bowler who appeared to have far more ‘bite’ in his deliveries. It was at this stage of the match that disaster struck Guernsey. Bisson pushed a Knight delivery slowly towards square leg and a sharp single was taken, Blampied rushed in to field but allowed the ball to pass him. Bisson called for a second run but Clark was not prepared and Bisson was easily run out at the bowler’s end. Obviously upset by this misunderstanding Clark did not really recover and two overs later he too was out – lbw hitting across a delivery from Knight.

The score was only 44 with three wickets down and worse was to follow when skipper Roussel, after carefully playing himself in, was lbw to Poree in the spin bowler’s first over. The score 53-4. Then followed a face-saving stand by Druce and Sarre. Druce in particular played a superb innings. Driving through the covers with majestic ease he soon tamed the bowling. Sarre played intelligently and helped in a 47 stand for the fourth (sic) wicket. He was out shortly before lunch.

Druce went on to his half century, getting over this hurdle with a late cut for three. It was, however, his last scoring shot for in the last over before the lunch interval he was bowled by Le Marquand. He had done a man-sized job however, and after the break the tail-enders really piled on the pressure. From 115 for six at lunch they pushed the score to 218 all out – the 103 taking only 66 minutes.

It was thrilling to watch. Offen started the rot after the interval and Tranter finished it. The latter’s was a quick hard-hitting half century and everyone was happy when he was dropped at deep square leg by Knowles, the Jersey captain, in making the hit which saw him to his 50. Eley too batted well and hit with more power than he had ever shown. Jersey were left to get the runs in about 160 minutes.

Jersey’s opening pair, O’Callaghan and Mallinson, were supreme and from the beginning looked full of runs. The 51-year old O’Callaghan amazed spectators, and no doubt the Guernsey fieldsmen, with his running between the wickets. In the 50 minutes before the tea interval Jersey had scored 46 without loss. Off the last ball before the interval, however, O’Callaghan scooped an Eley delivery to deep mid-on but despite getting his hands to the ball Roussel failed to take the difficult chance. It was to be an expensive miss. After tea the opening pair increased the scoring rate. Runs flowed smoothly and soon the 100 was being raised – still without loss of wicket.

Roussel changed his attack repeatedly but could not upset the Jerseymen who both completed their half centuries amid great applause. At last the partnership was broken. Sarre was the bowler and Mallinson drove hard but uppish to mid-on and Clark brought off a good catch. Coleman hit a quick 17 and Blampied also pushed the scoring along. But all the time the real danger was the veteran Irishman. Into the 80s and 90s he strolled and then with a cover drive off Sarre he reached the golden number. Soon after this he was well caught off the College bowler by Tranter in the gully. By this time the match had reached an exciting pitch for it was now a race against the clock. From 150 for two with 41 minutes to go the score went to 196 for four with 13 minutes to go. Then it became 211 for five with four minutes left.

On what seemed likely to be the last over McCave was the bowler. Le Marquand scored a single off the first ball and C Poree off the second. Then crash, bang, and two wickets were down … a six required off the last ball for victory! But it was too much ad the match ended in a draw.

Post Friday 7th August 1959

‘Jersey nearly forced victory’

There was considerable excitement in the Guernsey v Jersey cricket match at the College Field, Guernsey, yesterday, and not until the last over was it known how the match would end. As, during the past two years it ended in a draw – but it could so easily have ended in a thrilling victory had Jersey made their efforts just a little earlier.

When 5 o’clock came and there was only half-an-hour’s play left the Jersey side needed 52 runs to win. As throughout their innings the Jerseymen had maintained the rate at 13 runs per every two minutes. It seemed highly probable that the target would be reached. Eight runs were needed from the last over to pull Jersey through in the race against the clock, but two wickets fell for only another 3 runs and, when time was called, victory had dodged Jersey by only 5 runs.

The Guernsey captain, Robin Roussel, won the toss and decided to bat, but with only 3 on the board Knight clean-bowled Marquis. After 30 minutes play Guernsey had put on only 21 and Osment had the misfortune to muff a catch from Clark off Le Marquand’s bowling. The batting was rather tedious but Bisson, trying to brighten things up, got himself run out. Forty runs were up in 51 minutes, and at the end of an hour Guernsey had scored only 44 for the loss of 3 wickets. Jersey’s fielding was keen and throwing-in accurate.

W Druce came to Guernsey’s aid with a brilliant half century, and though the scoring was slow, the Guernsey donkey’s tail swung well and the last half dozen batsmen made a total of 122 between them after Druce had scored his 51.

The home side batted 3 hours 6 minutes for their total of 218 and Jersey were left with three hours to get the runs. They started this in businesslike manner and O’Callaghan and Mallinson, scoring at the rate of one run per minute, put the 40 up. The 51 year old O’Callaghan, who looked as though he could stay at the wicket for a couple of days, gave only the slightest of chances and went on to give the brightest display of scoring in Guernsey for many days with a brilliant century. The O’Callaghan-Mallinson partnership brought Jersey 100 in 78 minutes before a catch by Clark off Sarre’s bowling split them. Mallinson had scored 52.

Coleman came in to join O’Callaghan and opening his shoulders to the Guernsey bowling he made a breezy 17, to be followed by Blampied (13) and Osment (15). O’Callaghan put up a catch after hitting 105. But after this, unlike Guernsey’s the ‘tail’ failed to wag and, with the mounting excitement and one eye on the scoreboard and the other on the clock, the Jerseymen just failed to win.

REVIEW

Press

‘In Thursday’s great game there was little to choose between teams’ by John Le Poidevin

Many people will be expecting me to eat humble pie for comments I passed in last week’s article concerning the selection of the Guernsey team. Jim Tranter and, to a lesser extent Ian McCave, were selections I disagreed with. What happened? Tranter hits a grand-slam half century and McCave becomes a hero for taking two wickets in the last over to save the match for Guernsey. Well done Jim and Ian. No-one was happier than I when you had moments of glory. But let’s keep things in their proper perspective. I disagreed with Jim Tranter the spin bowler and as such he did not come off. And McCave? He lasted only a few overs before it became obvious that he would not break through and he was taken off. Without detracting from his four wickets one must state that they were taken when Jersey batsmen were ‘swinging the willow’.

Let’s forget Jim Tranter the bowler and look more closely at Jim Tranter the batsman. I don’t think many people had a great deal of confidence in him as such – he was after all in at number nine – but he has proved during the past few years that he can hit to good effect. The conditions on Thursday were ‘made’ for him. The Guernsey innings had almost run its time and more runs were required. Had he been caught after making three or four no-one could have complained. But he wasn’t and no praise is high enough for the way he laid into the Jersey bowlers. And it was not all slogging. Some of his shots were very well executed.

Colin Eley showed that he can hit the ball hard. In the past he has shown up well as a defensive batsman. But as a forcing batsman he always failed. Thursday’s innings will give him a great deal of confidence. Graham Offen played his typical ‘cheeky’ innings, snatching every possible run and even some that looked impossible. But the real hero was Bill Druce. What a grand innings he played! An over-rated player in the past, Bill has lived up to his high reputation this season.

One must forget the analysis when judging the Guernsey bowlers. High at the top of the list was Eley. He beat both those superb batsmen R O’Callaghan and Miles Mallinson. The Irishman gave two chances off the spin bowler and number three batsman D Coleman was also missed. So instead of having none for 46 Eley could well have taken three wickets. It is really difficult to compare the two sides, for the Jersey batsmen had to surrender their wickets for the cause of quick runs. One gained the impression, however, that O’Callaghan aside, there was little between the teams. The bowling was fairly equal with the spin strength of Eley tipping the scales slightly in Guernsey’s favour and, with O’Callaghan, the Jersey side had that extra in batting.

A great many cricket fans in the island missed a tremendous day’s sport played in lovely conditions. It seems that cricket in Guernsey is destined to be played without spectators.

Star

The Guernsey team performed very well against Jersey at the College Field on Thursday and among the star performers were Jim Tranter and Ian McCave – two surprise selections. It was with the bat and not the ball that Tranter shone however. Playing with a cavalier air he hit the Jersey bowling all over the College Field for a grand 52 to become Guernsey’s top scorer.

But the best performance came from Bill Druce who scored 51. He came in at a vital stage and salvaged the Guernsey innings by playing one of his best games. Colin Eley was the star among the Guernsey bowlers even though he did not collect one wicket. Time and again he beat the batsmen without hitting the stumps and three times catches were missed off his bowling – albeit they were difficult chances. Ian McCave returned the best figures, collecting his four wickets in his second spell which came late in the match. At that time Jersey batsmen were swinging in an attempt to beat both the opposition and the clock.

It was thanks to McCave, who took two wickets in the last over, that the clock won through. Had these wickets not fallen another over would have been certain and Jersey might well have got the five runs they still needed at the drawing of stumps. On the other hand one might say that Jersey could have been beaten for they had only two wickets to spare. It seemed however that they would have won with an additional over. The 51-year-old Irishman, R O’Callaghan, was brilliant for Jersey and though he gave two difficult chance his was a superb century, made in 127 minutes.

Miles Mallinson, I gather, was not a popular choice in some quarters in Jersey, but he was another Jersey batting star. Guernsey appeared to have a slight edge in bowling but the Jerseymen held an advantage in batting strength. A draw then was the fairest result to a grand match. Unfortunately as in the past only a few spectators watched the thrilling struggle. One criticism I heard was that the match was not sufficiently advertised and the visitors in the main were unaware that an important match was being played.