Guernsey's Cricket Board could pay their players

Guernsey's Cricket Board could pay players who represent the island in ICC tournaments.

Guernsey is set to benefit from the $300 million promised to developing nations by the ICC earlier this week.

"I think what we really need to consider is first of all how much time they are going to need to take off work," said GCB chairman David Piesing.

Piesing says that, if players have to take a lot of time off, they may have to help fund them.

The sport in the island is entirely amateur, but Piesing feels that, if players are being forced to take lots of time off work, it might be good to compensate them.

"Until the new tournament structure and where we sit in it becomes clear, it is very difficult to know whether one is taking 10 or 11 days a year off work or whether it's 15 or 20 days a year," he told BBC Guernsey.

A lot really depends on progression and how quick that progression is through the tournament ranking GCB Chairman David Piesing

"A lot really depends on progression and how quick that progression is through the tournament rankings."

The island, along with rivals Jersey, have to play in this summer's European Division Two tournament from 18-23 August in Guernsey.

Jersey have already seen their ICC workload increase. After coming second in the European Division Two tournament in 2006 they qualified for the World League Division Five tournament which they hosted in May.

Jersey were again runners-up and now go on to Tanzania at the start of October to play in World League Division Four.

Success there would see them promoted to the third tier, whose tournament is in Buenos Aires in Argentina in January 2009. A top two finish there would see them progress to the ICC World Cup qualifier in the UAE in April next year.