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Home side wraps up Dutch series with 80-run victory
David Piesing
The Guernsey Cricket Board XI wrapped up the 3-match series with still one game left to play after an emphatic 80-run victory over the Flamingo Dutch XI at KGV on Thursday.
After winning the first game by 123 runs on Wednesday, the home side rested Ami Banerjee, Gary Rich, GH Smit, Justin Meades, Andy Biggins and Peter Le Hegarat for the second game, and brought in Richard Veillard, Mark Jefferies, Aaron Scoones, Stuart Bisson, Steve Queripel and, notably, 15-year old Hampshire Academy all-rounder Tim Ravenscroft to make his first appearance at this level for his island.
Skipper Stuart Le Prevost won the toss and elected to bat in perfect batting conditions on another glorious day of clear blue skies and temperatures into the 20s. The home side lost opener Richard Veillard when the score had reached the 30s, caught at short extra cover, and soon after lost fellow opener Matt Oliver (35) and Le Prevost (1) against tight early seam bowling. This brought young Ravenscroft to the wicket to join Jeremy Frith and the pair put together a fine partnership full of superb shot placement and good running between the wickets. After compiling a very impressive 37 at almost a run a ball, Ravenscroft was stumped trying to force the pace but he can be highly satisfied with such an impressive debut. Frith was then joined by Mark Jefferies who, after a quiet start, suddenly came to life with two well-struck 6s before he fell for 30. Frith eventually skied one in the closing overs to fall for a hard-fought 58, and with the tail wagging the home side reached a very useful 220 for 9 in 50 overs. Opening bowlers Ghaznavi (4 for 44) and Bukhari (3 for 52) bowled very well for the Dutch.
Things could not have got off to a worse start for the Dutch, with both openers dismissed without scoring. First, Bukhari was bowled by Blane Queripel and de Grooth was rather unfortunate to hit a rank full-toss from Steve Queripel straight to square leg. Stokkers then edged Steve Queripel to slip before Mol square drove Blane Queripel low to point where Kris Moherndl took an excellent diving catch. It looked bleak for the Dutch at 28 for 4 but Stephen de Bruin and Daan van Everdingen dug in to compile a partnership of 57 before van Everdingen was brillantly caught on the deep backward square leg boundary by Blane Queripel off Scoones for 27. Heggelman was quickly bowled by Frith for 0, and for the second day running the home side's spinners ran through the tail. Ravenscroft showed that he is more than just an outstanding batsman by luring de Bruin down the track to be stumped for 40 in his second over, and then trapped Seelaar plumb lbw. Martin van Ierschot hit 21 before he too was stumpred, this time off Frith, and the innings was wrapped up when Schoonheim was run out with the score on 140 and with just under 4 overs to spare.
So the second match followed the pattern of the first, with the home side posting a decent total on the board before putting in excellent bowling and fielding performances. The Dutch bowling and fielding performance was much tidier today but their middle order and tail seem to have no answer to Guernsey's spinners.
The GCB XI will be looking to secure a 3-nil victory on Friday, with Banerjee, Smit, Meades, Rich and Le Hegarat all back in the side along with former Essex 2nd XI all-rounder Tim Duke who makes his first appearance of the series.
© Guernsey Cricket Board
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