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Guernsey Under-15s secure island's first ICC title
David Piesing
Guernsey's very talented Under-15 side, even without unavailable star player Tim Ravenscroft who was in England scoring a century for Hampshire CCC Under-17s, have won the ICC's European Under-15 Division Two Championships after a comprehensive 69-run victory over Jersey in Saturday's final.
Both teams had qualified for the final having won all of their group games, in most cases by very large margins for 35-over cricket, but on the day Guernsey proved the stronger to win a match which was, by all accounts, played to an extremely high standard.
Full reports of the match (and photos) can be found at www.ecc-cricket.com.
Guernsey's Under-15 victory is their first ICC tournament title and comes at the end of a season in which they competed in three European age group tournaments. Having suffered heartbreak in losing the final of the Under-19 tournament to Jersey, and also having to settle for third place in the home Under-23 tournament despite winning their only two games by 55 runs and by 7 wickets, it is with some relief that the "duck" has finally been broken.
Two of Guernsey's Under-15 stars, skipper and all-rounder Tom Kirk together with opening batsman/wicketkeeper Will Thompson, appeared in all three ICC European tournaments and return to school this week having played 11 international matches and experiencing just the one defeat. They will have learned so much over the summer which will hold them in very good stead for many years to come. Kirk was the star of the tournament in La Manga, winning the Player of the Tournament award after making the tournament's top score of 112 not out (his maiden century) and also ending as top wicket-taker with his off-breaks. Thompson made two half-centuries and kept wicket well throughout.
All of the Guernsey squad performed impressively in La Manga and it is fair to say that the accuracy and discipline of the bowling and fielding proved crucial. Not a single opposing batsman managed a half-century against Guernsey and they conceded fewer wides than any other team, which was not at all surprising to those of us back home who are only too aware of the reliable accuracy of those bowlers in senior mens' club cricket at such a young age. Special mention must also be made of opening batsman CJ Peatfield who scored the tournament's only other century.
The Guernsey players have gained a lot of experience playing in UK festivals against first-class and minor counties since they were in the Under-11s and they have played a lot of high quality cricket together. They have also performed very impressively in Holland and Scotland on tours in the past couple of years so they were very well-prepared for the tournament in La Manga.
Several of these players are expected to represent the Guernsey senior side within the next 2 or 3 years and possibly even sooner if one or two of them continue their current rate of development.
The ruthless performances of the team in Spain against all opposition will come as no surprise to those who know the team's coach, Mark Renouf, who was ably assisted by Ben Ferbrache and by Rob Hutchinson as Manager, who must all be heartily congratulated along with each and every one of the squad on a fine achievement.
© Guernsey Cricket Board
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