SATURDAY sees the cricketing community unite for the final time this season as the Jersey Men’s national side host Guernsey in the 74th edition of the Brooks Macdonald Men’s 50-Over Inter Insular.
Set to be staged at Grainville for a 10.45am start, both sides will come in full of confidence after impressive recent results and individual performances.
Jersey are riding high off the introduction of new interim head coach Paul Hutchison and their recent solid performances against the Zimbabwe A side in Leeds last month.
They have also won their last seven contests in this fixture going all the way back to 2016, with no contest held in 2021 due to the pandemic.
However, across the pond, Ollie Nightingale’s Guernsey side tasted silverware just last month when they won the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Europe Qualifier on home soil.
Both sides have clashed as recently as June this year in a three match T20 series, hosted in Guernsey, which was won comfortably by the Caesareans.
Hutchison, leading his side into his first taste of the coveted 50 over inter insular, said: “This is my first experience of this respected fixture.
“The energy levels and anticipation have been building all week, our players are motivated and I’m looking forward to it.
“We approach the game knowing Guernsey will be on a high having qualified last week in the ICC T20 Europe sub regional tournament; we want to put on a strong performance for the crowd and the challenge they bring is good preparation for the Challenge League tournament later this month in Kenya.”
The tournament mentioned is a big one for Hutchison’s men, who will travel to Kenya in the coming weeks to compete in the Cricket World Cup Challenge League Group stage.
The men in red are set to face hosts Kenya, Qatar, Papua New Guinea, Kuwait and Denmark across two weeks that could shape their next two years of this ICC World Cup cycle.
In the meantime however, they have to negotiate the Sarnians challenge and skipper Ollie Nightingale feels they are running on a high.
“It’s been a long season,” Nightingale said.
“After last week’s massive high of winning the ICC competition, we’re looking to continue that momentum this weekend.
“We have only had one session on grass as, until the tournament, all the emphasis has been focussed around T20 AstroTurf cricket.
“We will try to adjust as best we can, but we know it’s likely to be tough.
“Our squad is broadly similar to that we have used all year.
“Teenager Ed Robinson makes the squad after some good domestic form and as a promising youngster, it’s nice we can reward him and get him experience around the group.
“These fixtures always carry some extra weight for both sides and we’re ready for the challenge.”
The Jersey side features some familiar names alongside some newer faces.
Stalwarts of the side like skipper Chuggy Perchard, wicket-keeper Jake Dunford and fast bowling all-rounder Julius Sumerauer all play, but a senior debut for fellow all-rounder Stan Norman is an exciting inclusion.
Left-arm seamer Scott Simpson and spinner Toby Britton also get the nod after excellent domestic seasons.
In last year’s reverse fixture, held in Guernsey, Jersey enjoyed a monster 173-run victory, thanks in part to a sensational partnership between Jonty Jenner (116*) and Zak Tribe (96*).
Jenner is absent from this weekend’s squad, however Tribe plays and is sure to be in the forefront of his opponent’s memories after an unbeaten 96 off 76 balls in 2023.
Even with several noticeable names missing, such as Asa Tribe, Ben Ward, Nick Greenwood and Dan Birrell alongside the absent Jenner, the Caesareans still look a force.
Jersey’s long-standing skipper, Chuggy Perchard, said: “Although it’s not an ICC event, the inter-insular is still one of the biggest trophies either us or Guernsey can get our hands on.
“Guernsey have had a brilliant year, especially with their latest ICC tournament win on home soil.
“Although we believe in our squad, we know we cannot take them lightly at all.
“With a few players away this weekend, it gives us a great chance to offer some new lads a potential 50-over inter-insular debut, which is exciting.
“Our strength in depth is improving and we know we can still field an excellent side with loads of experience, even without some of our big names.
“It’s a big game, we’re all right up for it and hopefully the weather plays ball so we can get a big crowd down to Grainville to cheer us on.”
Meanwhile, on the Sarnian side, skipper Nightingale brings over a talented group that includes brother Tom, all-rounder Matt Stokes and the enigmatic wicket-keeper batter, Zak Damarell.
Both of their young fast bowlers, Charlie Forshaw and Harry Johnson, earn a call up after excellent campaigns and recent training as part of the Hampshire set up and will offer a stern test to the Jersey opening batters.
A victory for the Caesareans on Saturday would take them to their eighth consecutive fixture win, a mightily impressive achievement which would edge them one step closer to the all-time record streak in the decorated fixture’s history.
That too is held by the men in red, who enjoyed a decade-long domination spanning from 1992-2001.
Who could forget Tony Carlyon’s majestic unbeaten 93 in 1997, backed up by a 14 over spell of 4-58 from Nick Jewell in a dramatic eight-wicket victory?
Or when Guernsey’s Jeremy Frith produced a fantastic unbeaten 88 with the bat in 2002 to help Guernsey claim their first Men’s Inter Insular for a decade.
Which way will Saturday go? Will the bragging rights remain with those in red? Or will the Sarnians have the additional weight of a trophy on the plane journey home?
Who will stand up and write their names in the history books, as so many have done before them?
All will be revealed on Saturday, at the home of Jersey Cricket.
Men’s Inter-Insular Squads
Jersey: Chuggy Perchard (c), Dominic Blampied, Charlie Brennan, Toby Britton, Harrison Carlyon, Jake Dunford (wk), Patrick Gouge, Josh Lawrenson, Scott Simpson, Julius Sumerauer, Zak Tribe
Guernsey: Ollie Nightingale (c), Luke Bichard, Josh Butler, Zak Damarell (wk), Ben Ferbrache, Ben Fitchet, Charlie Forshaw, Harry Johnson, Adam Martel, Dane Mullen, Tom Nightingale, Ed Robinson, Matt Stokes
