LAST Friday’s NatWest Cricket Awards ceremony once again bought the curtain down on the league season, meaning for us mortals the end of cricket as we know it for about eight months.

There is, of course, the World Cup Division IV tournament in October for the 14 players deemed worthy of the challenge and which promises to keep cricket in the public eye for quite a while longer. But for the rest of us it’s either football, hockey, rugby or making up for long Saturday afternoons of absence to the family.

The fact that Ryan Driver won the Player of the Year Award was no surprise and it was probably fitting that his nearest rival for that award, Steve Carlyon, didn’t go home empty handed as he was a worthy winner of the Rathbones Handicap. There may have been a few others who may have felt that their season’s exertions deserved some sort of recognition, especially a couple of the youngsters, but I’m sure their turn will come.

In a table on this page you will find my top 20 performances from the NatWest Premier and 1st Divisions in order of merit. One of the most popular winners of the evening was, July’s Cricketer of the Month, Alan Morris, whose feats included five 50s, with a top score of 80 and two lots of four-wicket hauls. Apparently not the most orthodox – he and Pete Gough are chalk and cheese (because of his smile Goughey is the cheese) – you can hardly fault the results and as Forrest Gump’s mother says ugly is as ugly does and I’m sure most people would sacrifice a bit of flamboyance for those kind of scores.

Another player who hasn’t been subjected to hours of coaching and yet is a very effective player is the Divison I Young Player of the year Ben Beeley who took an impressive 25 wickets this year and scored over a hundred runs. He has apparently learnt his craft from watching cricket on the TV and hours in the nets with his mates which just goes to show what a bit of hard work can do.

Usually the end of season dinner signifies the close of the cricket season but for the elite Island squad it is far from over as on Monday sometime during the day, my informant wasn’t quite sure, hopefully he makes it as it may only be a squad of thirteen, will be getting on a plane that will eventually take them to Tanzania where they will be facing their biggest challenge yet.

This is a big task, make no mistake. If you thought playing a Browny over out for a maiden without succumbing to the temptation to hit one for four, was tough, you will have an idea of the task that lays ahead. The team will be well aware of the potential of the Afghanistan team, but have beaten Italy although I suspect they will have a stronger team out for these matches, but the rest are unknown quantities. The home nation have been preparing in England and bowled Birmingham Civil Servants out for 67 before the game was rained off, then beat Harrow CC and Watford CC who probably aren’t the strongest of opposition. Hong Kong have recently beaten Afghanistan and Singapore, who Jersey beat in the WC Division V tournament, and performed pretty well against Nepal who beat them by 44 runs, so are probably at a similar level to Jersey.

Italy took part in the ICC Division I tournament in Ireland in July, performing well against the likes of Scotland and Ireland and beating the Netherlands and are likely to be a tough team to beat. Fiji are possibly the weakest of the sextet. It is sure to be a tough schedule for Jersey but having finished winners and twice runners up in their last three tournaments they should be well used to the rigors of such events. Their schedule is; 4 Oct v Tanzania; 5 v Afghanistan; 7 v Italy; 8 v Fiji; 10 v Hong Kong; 11 Final/Play offs.

At the moment the weather in Tanzania is about 30 degrees, so a bit hotter than perhaps the team will be used to, but not too oppressive. The local wickets are described as being flat and docile so it will be hard toil for the quicker bowlers. I believe Tanzania time is three hours ahead of ours so that means games will start 8 o’clock our time, or is it 2 o’clock our time, I can’t work it out.

TOP 20 INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCES
1 Charles Perchard 8 for 39 Caesareans 2nds v Rowlands Warriors
2 Dean Morrison 143 not out St Ouen v OV’s
3 Andrew Kearsey 6 for 20 Caesareans 2nds v St Ouen 2nds
4 Peter Osmont 6 for 26 Springfield 2nds v Rowlands Wanderers
5 Andy Dewhurst 6 for 27 OV’s v Springfield
6 Ollie Johnson 6 for 28 Vic College Colts v Caesareans 2nds
7 Phil Rammage 118* SCF v St Ouen
8 Tom Gibbs 113 OV’s 2nd v St Ouen 2nds
9 Steve Carlyon 110 SCF v Caesareans
10 Ryan Driver 109* Romerils v Springfield
11 Pat Kelly 107 Springfield v OV’s
12 Phil Rammage 102 SCF v Caesareans
13 Chris Hopwood 100* Caesareans 2nds v Rowlands Wanderers
14 Ryan Driver 5 for 8 Romerils v St Ouen
15 Chris Searson 5 for 11 OV’s 2nds v Romerils 2nds
16 Jon Prince 5 for 17 Romerils 2nds v Rowlands Wanderers
17 Ben Beeley 5 for 17 SCF 2nds v Romerils 2nds
18 Jon Evans 5 for 20 SCF 2nds v Caesareans 2nds
19 Maurico Kemp 5 for 27 Caesareans v Romerils
20 Andy Bouchard 5 for 29 SCF 2nds v Caesareans 2nds