Australian Test Player makes his mark in Fiji

Australian Test cricketer Chris Rogers embarks on Fiji coaching trip

The International Cricket Council (ICC) East Asia – Pacific (EAP) Development Program has recently been able to secure the services of Australian Test cricketer and current Victorian Bushrangers opening batsman Chris Rogers to help with coaching programs among other duties in Fiji from the 2nd to the 5th of December 2008.

Rogers, a former Cricket Australia contracted player, played a test for Australia in 2008 replacing Matthew Hayden. Rogers’ first class record is outstanding, scoring over 10,000 runs at an average of almost 50.

He is the only player to have scored a double-century against his own country, having scored an exceptional 219 against the Australian Test team in a warm-up match prior to the 2005 Ashes series, and has just recently crossed from Western Australia to Victoria. In his first Shield match against the Warriors, he scored a century in each innings to steer his new team to victory.

Rogers, to be accompanied by ICC EAP Regional Development Officer Charles Burke, will be involved in a number of activities while in Fiji, including coaching of the Under 15’s and Under 19’s Fiji National Squads in Suva, as well as working with the Fiji National Women’s Squad. Rogers will round out his trip by meeting Cricket Fiji Board Members while also continuing the push for improved facilities by meeting with local Suva City Council members.

“The ICC EAP are extremely pleased that Chris has accepted this offer to help with the sustainable development of cricket in Fiji, and we are looking forward to Chris not only having an impact in the short term, but also becoming involved in other programs within Fiji and EAP in the future, said ICC EAP Regional Development Manager Matthew Weisheit.

“To have a cricketer of Chris Rogers’ talent come to Fiji to help us with our development is very exciting for us,” said Cricket Fiji General Manager Martin Shaw. “It is a great opportunity for our players to meet and learn from a highly experienced player, which is something that would not normally happen here in Fiji. We would like to thank Chris for giving his time to come to Fiji and ICC EAP for organising this important trip.”