Douglas Patient, Reporter, covering Wanstead and Woodford. From Guardian

A private school played host to an international cricket team, with a former pupil part of the squad, this weekend.

The Cayman Islands cricket team spent the day training at Forest School, in College Place, Snaresbrook, on Saturday (September 5).

One of the squad, Ian Rotsey, was a pupil at the school from 1992 to 1999, and is now playing international cricket for the Caribbean island next to Cuba.

Ian played for both the cricket and football teams when he was a pupil, captaining the latter.

He achieved an A grade in French, Government and Politics, General Studies and Maths before going on to study Archaeology and Anthropology at Keble College, Oxford.

After moving to the Cayman Islands, Ian qualified to play for their national cricket team after being a resident there for more than four years.

The Cayman Islands are currently in the country as they prepare for the World Cricket League, with Essex Country Cricket Club hosting the team along with other nations including Norway, Saudi Arabia and Guernsey.

The team is playing against local clubs and Ian asked whether they could use the school’s facilities to train for a day.

Speaking about the visit, Saul Foulds, Forest School’s master in charge of cricket said: “It was fantastic to welcome an international side and see their level of professionalism.

“The team were able to make full use of our facilities in the run up to such a great tournament.

“Forest is very proud that the School could help out an Old Forester in Ian and support cricket in far-flung areas of the globe.”

Ben Adams, Forest’s director of sport, said he was “thrilled” to welcome the team and Ian back to the school.

He said: “Although before my time, I know Ian was an exceptionally talented pupil inside the classroom and on the cricket pitch at Forest, and it is terrific to see that he has done so well now being a member of the Cayman Islands team.”

IMAGE: The Cayman Islands cricket team including former pupil Ian Rotsey (third from right).

For more on this story go to: http://www.guardian-series.co.uk/news/13652207.Private_school_plays_host_to_international_cricket_team_for_a_day/

Related story:

Good wins for Guernsey, Vanuatu, Suriname [Cayman Islands lose first game –second cancelled]

ICC World League gets underway in Essex

Guernsey started their ICC World Cricket League Division Six campaign in style with a convincing 188-run win over Fiji at Colchester’s Castle Park on the opening day.

The islanders were one of the tournament favourites, but made a bad start when fast bowler Viliame Mana induced Matthew Stokes to edge behind for a duck off the second delivery and then bowled James Wilkes-Green a few balls later.

But Oliver Newey and Tim Ravenscroft revitalized Guernsey’s innings, with Ravenscroft making 74 before Newey crashed his way to a brilliant 129, reaching his century in 87 deliveries.

Fiji were left with a target of 288 to win, but Newey continued to make his presence felt with the early wicket of Jikoi Kida Vanualevu as he was caught by Matthew Stokes on six.

Guernsey’s Max Ellis took two wickets in two balls, but Ravenscroft (4-21) was the pick of the bowlers as Fiji were bowled all out for 99 in 37.5 overs.

Guernsey captain Jamie Nussbaumer said: “I’m absolutely delighted with a thoroughly good performance. We had a bit of a wobble right at the start, but the guys batted brilliantly and from then on we really dominated the game.

“Ollie really dug in. It was tough up front and it was nipping about so obviously that was a great innings. But a lot of credit has got to go to Tim Ravenscroft as well, who I think probably played the best innings of the day.

“He made it look effortless and kept the scoreboard moving, so we never really got stuck, even though we lost those two wickets early on.”

Vanuatu also got off to a winning start in an entertaining clash against the Cayman Islands at Ashlyns Road.

Cayman Islands elected to bat, but with the exception of Sacha DeAlwis (50) they struggled and were all out for just 154.

Apolinaire Liplip Stephen was the pick of the Vanuatu bowlers with figures of 3-16 from just nine overs, as the last six batsmen departed for just six runs.

In reply Vanuatu struggled to deal with the new ball pace of Conroy Wright and Kervin Ebanks, but both bowlers went wicketless in the early stages. Troy Taylor come on and took two wickets in as many balls as Vanuatu slumped to 44-4, but a half-century stand between Simpson Hopeman Obed and skipper Andrew Mansale lead Vanuatu to a four-wicket victory with 10 overs remaining.

Gavin Singh inspired Suriname to an opening day victory against Botswana as opener Gaolape Mokokwe made 50 in the opening 10 overs before he was caught by Arun Kamesh Gokoek off the bowling of Singh, who finished with 2-29 as Botswana were all out for 216.

Botswana started well with the ball, restricting Suriname to 41-3, but captain Mohindra Boodram (38), Singh (63) and Sauid Ahmed Drepaul (55 not out) led them to a comfortable five-wicket victory.

Singh said: “I get picked in the team as an all-rounder so I have to do both jobs and I just came in and played my game. And the two wickets gave me confidence to come in with the bat and play my natural game.”

Saudi Arabia’s game against Norway on Monday was cancelled because the arrival of the Saudi Arabia team into the UK has been delayed. Further information in this regard will be provided in due course.

IMAGE: Apolinaire Liplip Stephen celebrates taking a wicket for Vanuatu against the Cayman Islands

For more on this story go to: http://www.romfordrecorder.co.uk/sport/cricket/good_wins_for_guernsey_vanuatu_suriname_1_4224337

UPDATE: Cayman Islands v Saudi Arabia

Match cancelled without a ball bowled

Cayman Islands squad

RD Bovell, C Cato, D Cato, N Coley, KR Ebanks, A Morris, C Palmer*, IR Rotsey, RA Sealy, YSD Seneveratne, T Taylor, OR Willis, A Wright, C Wright

Saudi Arabia squad

Abdul Waheed, Arslan Mushtaq, Ibrarul Haq, Imran Azam, Kamran Hadi, Kashif Riaz, Mohammad Afzal, Mohsin Shabbir, Muhammad Waqas Asaf, Muhammad Abbasi, Nadeem Javed, Sajid Saeed, Shahbaz Rasheed, Shoaib Ali*†