The Sigatoka Dunes have stamped their mark on the Elite Player League with an impressive performance resulting in a comfortable victory over the Western Bulldogs in the competition’s first match.

The Player of the Match award was shared by the two players who led the Dunes charge to victory: David Kachor scoring an unbeaten century and Lee Waqa claimed 7 for 16.

The Dunes batted in a style expected of players aiming for selection in the national squad. Opener Joji Bulabalavu (30) got the Dunes off to a good start before a 71-run partnership between Patrick Tuidraki and Kachor set the groundwork for a big Dunes total. The pair worked the ball around well during their partnership and regularly turned the strike over to keep the Bulldogs bowlers frustrated.

Continue reading "Sigatoka crush Western Bulldogs in opener"

Fiji will become the latest non-Test country to run a domestic competition for its best players when the Elite Player League commences on Saturday.

The best 39 players from the islands will be placed into three teams - the Suva Capitals, the Sigatoka Dunes and the Western Bulldogs with each team playing four matches according to international ODI rules.

“The aim of the competition is to get the best players playing against each other on a regular basis,” said Cricket Fiji’s High Performance Manager, Steve Jenkin. “That way we will know who has earned their place in the national squad.”

Previously, national team players were spread throughout three or four leagues across the islands, and the better players only played each other at the annual Easter tournament.

Cricket Fiji officials see the League as a means to increase competition for places in the national team.

“If players are hoping to be in the team to Nepal for the World Cricket League Division Five next February, then they will have to perform well in this competition,” said Jenkin. “After all, they need to play well among the best players in Fiji, and this is what this competition is about – the best from Fiji.”

The introduction of the EPL is the latest phase in the growth of Fiji’s tournament structure to support the development of players for international cricket. This will continue later this month with the first Under-19 National Championship Tournament which will be played in November and December in two conferences – the Lau Conference and the Viti Levu Conference.

Continue reading "Fiji launches Elite Premier League"

Tony Munro

The Fiji Blues, the men’s national cricket team, has been selected for this year’s East Asia Pacific Cricket Trophy. The squad includes a number of changes from the team that competed for the Stafford-Knight Trophy series in Vanuatu in May.

Greg Browne, Josefa Rika and Australian based Seci Tuiwai join the squad along with Seru Tupou, who impressed at the Under-19 East Asia Pacific Cricket tournament. Kida Jikoivanualevu and Taniela Waqa have also been added to the team.

“We have used this tournament as an opportunity to have a look at some of the players in international competition prior to our important World Cricket League competition in Nepal in January next year,” Cricket Fiji’s High Performance Manager, Stephen Jenkin said.

“There are a number of players who have been a bit unlucky to miss out on a place in this squad because of their past performances and good training attitude, but they are still very much in contention for a place in the Blues come Nepal.”

The tournament will take place in Samoa from September 17 to 26 and will be split into two sections.

The first section will be a Twenty20 tournament where the eight competing nations will be split into two pools of four teams with the winners of each pool facing each other in the final.

The second section will be played using a 50-over format with the Blues playing against the two other World Cricket League countries – Papua New Guinea and Japan – in a double round robin competition.

Squad:
Josefa Sorovakatini (C), Josefa Dabea, Josefa Rika, Greg Browne, Iniasi Cakacaka, Joji Bulabalavu, Josaia Baba, Kida Jikoivanualevu, Maciu Babiau, Sakaraia Lomani, Seci Tuiwai, Seru Tupou, Taniela Waqa, Viliame Yabaki.

Non-Travelling Reserves:
Inoke Cama, Eric Browne, Peni Rika, Tukana Tavo.

Papua New Guinea are the East Asia-Pacific Under-19 champions after they beat Vanuatu by 172 runs in the final at Amini Park, Port Moresby.

PNG won the toss and elected to bat in overcast conditions and scored freely early on, reaching 24 without loss before Lega Tau was well caught by Karl Laau from the bowling of Niko Unavalu. Heni Siaka was hitting everything in the middle, and started to free his arms, ably supported by middle-order batsmen Tony Ura (27) and Jason Kila (48).

The talented Siaka scored his maiden century for PNG, by far the best innings of the tournament. He was eventually dismissed for 101, but by then the damage had been done and PNG raced towards a huge total, batting their full 50 overs reaching 276 for 8.

It was to take a monumental effort by Vanuatu to chase down these runs, and early on the fielding talents of PNG rose to the fore, with two magnificent run-outs reducing Vanuatu to 31 for 2. They fought on valiantly before they were eventually dismissed for 103 after 34 overs. Jason Kila was the chief destroyer with 4 for 20.

In the battle for 3rd place at Colts Ground, Fiji beat Indonesia by six wickets in a game affected by rain.

PNG and Vanuatu will head to Canada to participate in the ICC U-19 Cricket World Cup Qualifier.

ICC staff

Tony Munro

Fiji have begun the rebuilding process by naming a new-look squad for next month's Stafford-Knight series against Vanuatu.

A change of captain and the promotion of three Under-19 national team players are among the changes from the one which finished fifth at last year's World Cricket League Division Four tournament in Tanzania. The team inished last in group matches, winning just the one game over Tanzania, but won the fifth-place play-off match against Jersey. As a result, they will play in Division Five in 2010.

Colin Rika, the former captain, is a reserve for the 14-man squad which will play against Vanuatu in two consecutive best-of-three series in Vila. Weather permitting, six games will be played, all using ODI 50-over-per-side rules.

Six players from last year's Division Four squad have been omitted and a captain is yet to be named. The three U-19 players are wicket-keeper Maciu Babiau, opener Seru Makutu and legspinner Viliame Yabaki.

Cricket Fiji High Performance Manager Steve Jenkin, who will coach the team, said it was clear change was required and the Vanuatu matches would be used to identify what that was. "We did not have a good result in Tanzania and we need to improve and that means hard work. I am not sure we will change the way we play - I’ll know more after Vanuatu - but we will certainly have to be more consistent at being good. We want to regain our previous position within ICC.”

Fiji will play in the East Asia-Pacific Trophy in Samoa in September. These games are part of the performance assessment criteria for Vanuatu's application for Associate membership. Fiji won last year's series against Vanuatu 2-0.

Fiji squad: (captain to be named)

Josaia Baba, Maciu Babiau, Eric Browne, Joji Bulabalavu, Iniasi Cakacaka, Josefa Dabea, Samu Draunivudi, Sakaraia Lomani, Seru Makutu, Joeli Mateyawa, Peni Rika, Jone Sevou, Josefa Sorovakatini, Viliame Yabaki; reserves – Malcolm Bossley, Colin Rika, Omid Saberi, Tukana Tavo.

A Man-of-the-Match performance by Jone Sevou with both bat and ball was the difference for Suva 1 in the final of Cricket Fiji’s Easter tournament against Suva 2 in Suva. Sevou took 5 for 20 and then backed it up with an unbeaten 62 to steer Suva 1 to a four-wicket win over Suva 2.

With the start of play delayed by half an hour due to overnight rain, a low-scoring match was expected on a still damp outfield. Suva 2 won the toss and elected to bat hoping for a good start from national players Joe Rika and Joji Bulabalavu.

However, it was Samu Draunivudi who made the first break claiming Rika with the total on 5. While Bulabalavu held down one end wickets fell regularly at the other, with Sevou cutting a swathe through the middle-order to claim his five wickets.

Kiti Tavo mopped up three wickets, while Waisake Tukaha eventually dismissed Bulabalavu for 40, the only Suva 2 batsman to reach double figures in an otherwise uninspiring batting performance. In the end, they posted 107 which was hardly a total that struck fear into the Suva 1 batsmen.

Sevou, fresh from his wicket-taking feats, opened the batting and compiled 62 not out to lead Suva 1 team to the target.

Iniasi Cakacaka was the best of the Suva 2 bowlers taking 3 for 30, while national Under-19 hopeful Rahul Pala claimed 2 for 30.

However, some big hitting from Kiti Tavo at the end of the innings, including a six to hit the winning runs, was enough to reach the target for the loss of six wickets.

The national selectors will now use the performances over the weekend’s tournament to select the national U-19 team for this year’s East Asia Pacific U-19 trophy and the senior national team for a series against Vanuatu in May.

Both teams will be named within the next week.

The final of Cricket Fiji’s Easter tournament will be an all Suva affair after the final pool games were played on Saturday.

The main action of the day was at Suva Grammar where Suva 2 was playing Moce 1, with the winner to go through to Monday’s final against Suva 1. The match turned out to be the second thriller in a row for Moce as they fought to chase the Suva 2 total of 117.

Mosese Tale (19) and Vuli Babiau (11) got the islanders off to a good start but some cheap middle order wickets left Suva in a good position to polish off the game. Tukana Tavo took 3 for 29, while Malcolm Bossley took 3 for 39.

At 86 for 9 it all looked over, but like yesterday the Moce tail wagged, and Vulawalu Sigala and Tagilala Rakuita took the score beyond the 100 mark with a solid tail-end partnership.

However, when Vula hoisted Greg Browne to long-off it was all over as Joji Bulabalavu took a running catch that skirted the boundary. There was some confusion as to whether he had stepped over the boundary, but umpire Walesi took the time to check and then confirmed the wicket for Suva’s win.

At the Army Ground, Suva 1 finished their pool games in style with a comfortable win over Fiji West. Waisake Tukaha scored an impressive 56 in Suva’s total of 116 before Jone Sevou cleaned up the Fiji West batting order, taking 6 for 12 in the West’s total of 55.

At Albert Park, Tubou posted a strong 188 thanks to solid contributions from Jone Wesele, Joe Sorovakatini and Josefa Tuberi. Koli Mocevakaca took 3 for 24 and was ably supported by Ledua Viliame, whose 3 for 36 helped stem the Tubou tide.

In response the Moce 2 bats never got going. with only Volau Sefenaia (11) reaching double figures as wickets fell regularly. Iliesi Waqa was the main destroyer for Tubou with 7 for 19 in another impressive bowling performance, giving him 12 wickets in the past two games.

Day two:

The second day of Fiji's Easter tournament being played at several venues in the national capital, Suva, threw up some big hitting at the main ground, Albert Park, a thrilling finish at Suva Grammar and a comfortable victory for Suva in their match at the Army Ground.

The Easter tournament is an annual event which features composite teams from the various regions where cricket is played in Fiji.

Tubou and Moce, from the Lau Islands in the country's east, played a thriller that had the crowd hooting with delight in the final stages. Tubou won the toss and Joe Sorovakatini elected to bat. Jone Wesele and Jerry Baba put on a good middle-order partnership to get Tubou to a respectable, but very gettable 110 after being dismissed in the 27th over. The experienced Maika Kamikamica took 5 for 29 in the Tubou innings, ably supported by Sau Cakacaka and Kolinio Tawalokuci, who snared two wickets each.

Continue reading "Some big hitting on day two of Fiji's Easter tournament"

Tony Munro

Fiji's annual Easter tournament to be held on April 9,10,11 and 13 is likely to feature six teams, with the possibility that one of those will be from Melbourne.

Five teams have so far confirmed for the event - Suva 1, Suva 2, Western, Moce and Tubou while either Victorian Fiji CC or a team from Rakiraki, on the northern coast of Fiji's main island, Vitu Levu, would be the sixth.

A Rakiraki team in the national tournament would complement the work of Cricket Fiji, which has been active in the region, which lies between Suva and Nadi. Past players have been trying to renew cricket activity.

Cricket Fiji's general manager, Martin Shaw, told Cricinfo that Fijian cricket's perennial problem - competition for grounds from rugby union - would determine whether tournament matches were 30 or 50 overs per side.

"If we have six teams and three grounds then it will be 50-over matches all the way, but if we only have two grounds it will have to be 30 over matches until the final," said Shaw.

There also been progress in the western area, barren ground for cricket in recent years, where there is a fledgling three-team competition featuring Moce, United and Punjas. And building on from the recent appointment of a high performance manager, Stephen Jenkin, Shaw said it was hoped development officers would be added in Lakeba and Moce.

Jenkin will get to see the Fijian national team in action when it travels to Vanuatu from April 24-May 1 to play the home team in three 50-over matches. The series is the playing performance component of Vanuatu's application for Associate Membership.

Fiji's annual cricket clinics have begun in Albert Park.

The clinics aim to give children an enjoyable and fun experience and will be held every Monday, Wednesday and Friday until December 19. The fun starts at 9am, with the clinics open to boys and girls of all ages. Attendance is free.

With the support of Pizza Hut, all children who attend the clinics will receive a free Pizza hut lunch to add to the enjoyment.

Australian Test cricket star, Chris Rogers, will be in Fiji today and tomorrow to help the next generation of Fijian cricketers achieve their aims.

Martin Shaw, Cricket Fiji's general manager, is aiming to lift the image of the sport in the country. Fiji finished last in the ICC World Cricket League Division 4, which was won by Afghanistan. Their players have often faced charges of indiscipline; the ICC is currently conducting an investigation into an incident where a player was found in a pool of blood during the recent tournament.

With the ICC having increased the funding for Fiji, Shaw is targeting the grassroots. "There is a lot of work to be done over the next few years to lift cricket in Fiji and to where we would like it to be," Shaw told the Fiji Times. "We need to be more active in the schools with our development officers to ensure that junior players have an opportunity to learn to play cricket.

"We also need to educate teachers who then should be able to run cricket programs in their schools. We need to increase the pool of qualified coaches and umpires so that our club competitions are strengthened.

"With regard to elite cricket, we have to put in place a proper development program that identifies players from a young age and assists them in developing their skills from a junior level right through to senior international cricket.

"We are fortunate that starting from 2009 we will receive increased funding from the ICC," he said. "However, we will still need to raise our own income through sponsorship in order to achieve what we would like to achieve."

Fiji’s cricket team met President Ratu Josefa Iloilo as the side prepared to travel to Tanzania for the Pepsi ICC World Cricket League Division 4.

Jone Salele, the Fiji Team Manager presented a whale’s tooth to the president as part of a reception at Government House. “Let the flags fly when you return and remember cricket is a sport for chiefs so keep that reputation,” said Ratu Iloilo, himself a former cricketer, reported the Fiji Daily Post News.

“It would be hard to let our country down knowing support is with us and with strong words from the President, we are hoping for a positive outing” added Salele.

Fiji face Afghanistan on the opening day of the tournament, which begins on October 4.

A seminar for the ICC’s East Asia – Pacific (EAP) Development Program kicked off today in Melbourne. The five-day course is “a key component in the process to achieve sustainable cricket education within the EAP region and includes an ICC Level 1 coaching Cricket Instructors Course,” the statement read.

Nine highly regarded coaches were selected from an extremely strong pool to attend. The participants are:

PNG John Ovia & Rarua Dikana

Vanuatu Richard Tatwin and Aby Joel John
Japan Jummei Hanada & Nigel Dixon
Fiji Seci Sekinini
Indonesia Melvin Ndoen
Tonga Sione Hamala

The ICC EAP have been able to gain access to world-class facilities through Cricket Australia, Cricket Victoria and the Melbourne Cricket Club.

The ICC EAP Strategic Plan has a strong focus on developing quality cricket coaches in the EAP region, and the Advanced Coaching & Development Seminar is a major part of building sustainable coach development practises.

Cricket Fiji will be headed by a football chief executive from next month. Martin Shaw, the former Football Federation Tasmania chief executive, has been recruited after three and a half years in his current role.

Cricket’s profile in Fiji is rising steadily but the game’s administrators are now hoping for a bigger increase with Shaw on board. He will help to develop the game from grass-roots level.
“It should be a challenge,” he told Fijilive. “I think a lot more of my time will be spent at grass roots level in a more relaxed culture.”

Next week's ICC annual get-together promises to have more than its fair share of politicking, posturing and controversy. But, unless there is a major about-turn, it should also be a watershed for the Associates and Affiliates.

In 2009, income from the ICC's six-year media deal with ESPN-Star, worth over US$1 billion, kicks in, and while the game's big boys will still keep the lion's share, the rest will see substantial increases in their incomes.

Continue reading "Future bright beyond the Test world"

Colin Siller, a former Scotland league cricketer, has been named as Fiji's new coach.

He said: "It is a great honour to have been handed a head coach's role. Fiji were a founding member of the ICC and it will be my role to improve the cricket structure there from the senior team downwards. I am really looking forward to working with the young talent as well as getting to know the people."

Siller, who has played for Leith Franklin, Holy Cross, Corstorphine and Gala over the years as well as Watsonians, has previously worked as an age-grade coach with Ireland and was an assistant coach with Canada during the 2005 ICC Trophy. He was then headhunted by Zimbabwe Cricket in 2006 to become coach education manager and assistant coach for the national side.

The Scotsman has more. His first matches in charge will be against Vanuatu at home in mid-May when they will contest a three-match one-day series.

Tony Munro

The Suva Crusaders, has won Fiji's annual interdistrict competition, the Dwarka Prasad trophy, by 43 runs.

The team from Fiji's capital batted first in final of the 50-over tournament held over Easter amassing 129 before dismissing Moce, one of Fiji's eastern islands, for 86. Six teams, Crusaders, Moce, Suva Islanders, Tubou, Ono I Lau and Lautoka played. Competition for grounds and playing areas from rugby union, a perennial problem, limited the number of competing teams.

Meanwhile, Tubou from the island of Lakeba, is set to have its 40-year-hold on the Dewar's Shield contested, when Moce travels to Tubou this October.

Part of the reason for the length of Tubou's title reign, is that a prospective challenger, if unable to afford to fly by plane, faces a two day boat trip. Nadi was the last challenger in 2003.

Six Fijian district teams will contest the Diwarka Prasad Trophy, the premier domestic event in Fijian cricket, this weekend.

Played using a place-of-origin format, the best available players represent the district in which they were born, regardless of where they now live. The tournament is Fiji's only inter-district tournament.

Suva (1), Suva (2), Combined Lautoka/Nadi, Moce, Tubou and Natokolau will each play three 50-over games with the top two teams meeting in the final on Easter Monday.

The Shield is part of the selection of the Fijian national squad to contest the World Cricket League Division Four tournament in Tanzania in the latter part of 2008.

The number of people actively participating in cricket outside the Test-playing countries increased 17% in 2007, according to the ICC.

The research, carried out by the ICC's development program, was collated from 33 Associate and 58 Affiliate members. It showed that there were 338,051 male and female players in those countries in 2007, an increase of 49,158 on the previous year. Since 2002, when there were 144,047 participants, there has been a 135% rise.

Click here for the full story.

The ICC East Asia–Pacific (EAP) Development Program has announced its squads for the Centre of Excellence in Brisbane in November.

Twelve young players have been selected for the EAP Emerging Players Program, and 16 for the squad camp which will bring together the region’s best players ahead of the Australian country cricket championship in Mackay, Queensland this January. This means players from Cook Islands, Fiji, Japan, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Tonga and Vanuatu.

Both squads will experience a week of intensive coaching, training and skill development under the tutelage of Australia’s leading coaches. Each squad will play Twenty20 and 50-over one-day matches against local opposition in Brisbane.

Emerging players squad

Colin Amini (PNG), Arua Dikana (PNG), Willie Gavera (PNG), Masaomi Kobayashi (Japan), Trevor Langa (Vanuatu), Jacob Mado (PNG), Simpson Obed (Vanuatu), Pritchard Pritchard (Samoa), Sekove Ravoka (Fiji), Salesi Tu’Akoi (Tonga), Tony Ura (PNG), Vani Vagi Morea (PNG)

Squad camp

Chris Amini (PNG), Hitolo Areni (PNG), Kapena Arua (PNG), Inoa Baeau (PNG), Jamie Brazier (PNG), Tatsuro Chino (Japan), Mahuru Dai (PNG), Rarua Dikana (PNG), Dunu Eliaba (Cook Islands), Mahuta Kivung (PNG), Andrew Mansale (Vanuatu), Ipi Morea (PNG), Loa Nou (PNG), John Ovia (PNG), Josefa Rika (Fiji), Assad Vala (PNG)

Fiji's good form in the Pacific Games continued today when the humbled, or embarrassed, New Caledonia by a whopping 383 runs. Batting first Fiji made 403 for 8 before dismissing New Caledonia for a paltry 20.

They face Tonga on Friday and Samoa on Saturday.

If you have any further information or photos about this match, or any in the Pacific Games, do get in touch

SportingPulse have a full report:

In making its way to its impressive 403 run batting stint, New Caledonia showed very early signs of unsettling Fiji by dismissing opening bat Iliesa Navatu McGoon for 2 runs in the third over and Sekuove Ravoka for 7 runs in the 7th over. However, the entry of Kida Jikoivanualevu into the action saw Fiji gain real composure and the Fiji run scoring machine go into overdrive. Jikoivanualevu and Fiji's captain, Iniasi Cakacaka, settled in at the crease and put on a 71 run partnership before Cakcaka was bowled by S. Kilama for 29 runs. Kida was eventually caught by Midraia off a bowl from Folituu for a well played 67 runs. Fiji's batting depth showed through its batting order with number 7 batsman Tupou Golati making an impressive 71 runs and top scoring for Fiji and Kitione Tavo at number 8 making 42 runs not out with two sixes to his name. Fiji eventually scored 336 runs off the bat with New Caledonia conceding 35 wides and 19 no balls.

New Caledonia, with what can only be described as a mountain to overcome, took to the pitch with the hope of making a close game of the huge run chase. However, the impressive Fijian bowling attack was always going to make the task ahead for the New Caledonian team a real challenge. New Caledonia, in the course of 16 overs, put 20 runs on the board before they were all dismissed by the highly charged Fijian team.

Thanks to Andrew Dunford for the SportingPulse reminder

Fiji have been forced to move their training from Albert Park as they gear up for this year's South Pacific games.

“This would be good because the weather is hot and of course the venue for training is the main thing.”

The 14-member team consists of five players that went down in the final to Papua New Guinea in the 2003 South Pacific Games. Fiji has been denied three times the gold medal, always settling for silver but this year, Vosaicake said gold was their main agenda.

“We are tired of settling for second best. This team has prepared well and the recent international meets has helped in our buildup for Samoa.”

Only two players, Sakaraia Lomani and Filimoni Vuli will be making their debut. The side has experience from the EAP Championship, Vanuatu Bilateral and World Cup qualifiers.

Their toughest challenge is coping with 50 overs instead of 30 overs, normally played in the local club games.

“It is a challenge for us. Most of our players have experience in 50 overs and we have been training to accommodate that but it is not tough, it can be done.”

[via Fijilive]

The matches begin next Monday on August 27. A full schedule can be found at SportingPulse.

Argentina and Papua New Guinea (PNG) complete the semi-final line-up of the World Cricket League Division 3 after recording impressive victories on the last day of the group matches in Darwin. Argentina take on Cayman Islands in the semi-finals tomorrow, while PNG meet Uganda.

Group A

PNG beat Italy by eight wickets, but it was their superior net run-rate which edged them into the semi-finals, after both teams were tied following two wins each. PNG, who suffered a shock five-wicket defeat against Argentina on Tuesday, had to beat the Italians by a convincing margin to earn a berth in the last four. They did just that, dismissing Italy for 134 before cruising to their target in the 34th over. Arua Uda top-scored with 58 from 92 balls.

Group B

Tanzania tasted its first win of the tournament, overpowering Hong Kong by five wickets. Hong Kong made 161, with Rahul Sharma notching 43 while Bhavesh Govind took 3 for 31. Tanzania cruised home with Abhik Patwa and Rishen Patel putting on 77 for the opening stand, edging over the line in the 47th over.

Eight of cricket’s emerging nations will be hoping to take one step towards qualification for the 2011 World Cup when the World Cricket League Division 3 gets underway this Sunday (May 27) in Darwin.

The top two teams from this event will join UAE, Namibia, Denmark and Oman
in Windhoek, Namibia at the ICC World Cricket League Division 2 November. The top four teams from the event in Namibia will automatically qualify for the ICC World Cup Qualifier in the UAE in 2009, while the two remaining teams will have a second chance to qualify for the UAE tournament at the World Cricket League Division 3 in early 2009.

Click here for the full team-by-team preview.

The Fiji Times reports that the national side have been preparing for their World Cricket League Division Three matches in Australia with games against the army over the last three weeks.

In Fiji, one-day matches in the island’s league are played over 30 overs. This is due to the lack of suitable playing surfaces.

"We have been strengthening our batting during the training sessions," Seci Sekinini, the team manager, said. "It’s a different game. We will have to bat longer. Our players are prone to rush things. Sometimes the teams don't even last the full duration of the club games. And that's 30 overs. So we have a lot to work on.

“The bowlers are also working on their techniques. They are bowling more dot balls at practice. I don't believe our fielding will be a problem. All the players will need to put in their best effort."

Four players who missed the Vanuatu-Fiji series in March have been picked for Fiji's squad in their World Cricket League Division Three campaign to be held in Darwin, Australia, later this month.

The four players - Iliesa Waqaituinayau, Filimoni Vuli, Sakaraia Lomani and Rajeev Patel - are part of a squad, captained by Seci Tuiwai, who will play two warm-ups against an Indigenous XI and the Northern Territory State XI.

The World Cricket League is split into five divisions and is the ICC's method to determine countries' eligibilty to the qualifiers for 2011's World Cup. The other teams in Fiji's division are Hong Kong, Uganda, Tanzania, Cayman Islands, Argentina, Italy and Papua New Guinea.

Fiji's squad
Seci Tuiwai (capt), Iniasi Cakacaka (vice-capt), Josefa Rika, Colin Rika, Iliesa Navatu, Taione Batina, Sekove Ravoka, Inoke Lesuma, Dr Rajeev Patel, Samu Draunivudi, Sakaraia Lomani, Vueta Vuiyasawa, Iliesa Waqatuinayau, Filimoni Vuli

Lautoka beat Suva at Albert Park in Fiji yesterday, taking the gold medal in the Fiji Games competition. The Fiji Times Online has a full report:

Led by Herbert Christopher, who was named player of the tournament, the side won by eight wickets. Suva batted first and was all out for 57 runs. In reply, Lautoka managed 58 runs.

Christopher, who captained the Fiji Under-15 side in 2005, was well assisted by former Indian national Gaurang Patel.

The ICC East Asia - Pacific (EAP) office have confirmed the dates for the 2007 ICC EAP U-19 World Cup Qualifier hosted by Vanuatu Cricket Association in Port Vila. The tournament will take place from July 17 to 24, 2007.

Continue reading "East Asia Pacific U-19 qualifier dates announced"

It won't get many column inches in the mainstream cricket press, but the World Cricket League, which started in Nairobi yesterday and continues into next week, features the best of the rest, the six sides just under the ten Test-playing countries. For the two finalists, the rewards are bountiful - a place among the big boys in the inaugural Twenty20 World Championship in South Africa this September, along with $250,000. For countries used to surviving on annual handouts from the ICC of less than $200,000, that's big money.

Continue reading "A long way from home"

The Fiji Times has a disturbing report on the poor state of Albert Park in Suva, the capital of the country. Safety aspects have been "compromised," and the outfield is littered - literally - with rubbish, pot holes and overgrown grass.

Continue reading "Concern over state of Albert Park"

Fancy a job in paradise? Fiji have just announced that they are looking for a a new coach and manager "to salvage the national team's downward spiral".

Good news from Fiji where the authorities are reviving their free school holiday cricket program beginning next Monday (Dec 5) at Albert Park, Suva. More from the Fiji Times.