THE Belasko Channel Island League returns to Jersey tomorrow, with both Rathbones Old Victorians and recent T20 cup winners Farmers Caesareans kicking off their longer format campaigns.
Farmers CC welcome Sarnian side Norman Piette Cobo CC to Farmers Field tomorrow for the Guernsey side’s first CI League game of the season.
Cobo made it all the way to last season’s final, where they were eventually beaten by fellow Guernsey side Griffins, but will pose some tough questions to James Perchard’s side.
They are, however, sitting pretty at the top of the league currently with three wins from their opening three fixtures and are riding off the back of an excellent win last weekend against Griffins.
Farmers will have no fear though, as they are also riding high at the moment after their recent T20 success and subsequent qualification for the European Cricket Network competition in Malaga, Spain, next year.
They will, however, be without key man Nick Greenwood, who will not be returning to the Island after Jersey’s recent ICC T20 qualifier success in Germany last week.
They do, however, welcome back fellow Jersey stars Josh Lawrenson and Will Perchard to their ranks, boosting both batting and bowling line-ups.
Rathbones Old Victorians were left licking their wounds after the T20 campaign, which they led for a good majority of the time before losing to St Ouen Springfield in the eliminator on finals day.
The College alumni side return to the field with a point to prove tomorrow, as they travel to Guernsey to take on CI League defending champions, Canaccord Genuity Griffins.
Griffins have already proved their worth this season, dismissing both Walkovers and Guernsey side Wanderers Irregulars by wide margins.
They did taste defeat against Cobo last weekend, which will give James Duckett’s OVs side hope.
OVs offer a slightly changed squad for tomorrow’s game, with brothers Sam and Jamie Watling returning to the ranks along with crucial left-arm spinner Louis Kelly, fast-bowling all-rounder Chris Thompson and teenage superstar Freddie Harben.
The experience of Scott Simpson bolsters the bowling attack, having just returned home victorious from Germany with the men’s national side.
Duckett’s men will be looking to get back to winning ways on a ground where they tasted success in the past, Elizabeth College Field.
ATF St Ouen Springfield also travel tomorrow, meeting TENN Wanderers Irregulars at KGV in Guernsey for their second CI League fixture.
After suffering a harrowing ten-wicket defeat in game one against Cobo, SOS welcome back a host of stars to their line-up, which looks comfortingly familiar this week.
None more so than skipper Harrison Carlyon, who returns to his club side off the back of scoring Jersey’s first ever T20 international century against Serbia in game one of their latest ICC World Cup European Qualifier.
Joining him from national duties is the ever-reliable Dom Blampied, with other familiar names such as former Island captain Peter Gough, Jon Best and Elliot Miles.
SOS take on a Wanderers side who, after back-to-back losses to their fellow Sarnian teams, recorded their first CI League win of the season last weekend over RGA Walkovers.
Even with their returning stars coming back into the SOS line-up, they will have been pleased with young Sam Patidar’s efforts last week, following his superb 73 not out against Cobo, proving their strength in depth runs deep.
Division 1 T20 Finals Day
Elsewhere in Jersey, this Sunday will see the conclusion of the Division 1 T20 campaign.
Grainville will host the day, which will see an eliminator played between International Royals 1s and OVs 2s at 11am, followed by the winner of that match facing the mighty Walkovers 2s in the final from 3pm.
After a 100% win record in the league for Royals, they missed out on automatic final qualification last week after a play-off defeat to Walkovers 2s.
This means they will now have to get through the OVs 2s if they are to make their third final in as many weeks.
It’s no rare sight to see Abhishek Hongekar at the top of a batting leaderboard, but he is there once again. He has had a fantastic T20 campaign so far, notching an impressive 184 runs in four innings, including two fifties and an eye-watering average of 92.
Doubling down on the Royals dominance so far, they also have left-arm spinner Kush Pathak sitting comfortably top of the bowling stats with 14 wickets, two ahead of his closest rival.
The OVs will be no pushovers, however, and have lots of previous success in this tournament to fall back on.
Newly assigned captain this season, Jonny Heward, has been in great touch also with the bat, as well as marshalling a young side to finals day in his first year.
The OVs first team fell at the first hurdle in their T20 finals day eliminator, the third team made it to the final before being beaten by Royals 2s. So can the OV 2s go one step further and land the club some silverware this year?
Standing in both of their ways, however, is the impressive Walkovers 2s team, who toppled Royals off top spot to seal their automatic final spot.
Mikey Pih has been their main man with the bat, as well as young Toby Marrett, sitting second on the bowling charts with 12 wickets to his name.
A very well rounded team, Walkovers will be a mean challenge for whoever meets them in the final.
