Clarke ready for Trophy challenge

Samoa captain Geoff Clarke believes that Papua New Guinea will be the team to beat at the ICC EAP Trophy.

In an interview with the ICC website, the skipper looked ahead to the tournament which will be played in Samoa.

Has the lead-up to this Cricket Trophy been any different considering you are the hosting nation?

No we approach each tournament the same whether we are hosting or not. There may be a little added pressure to perform, but no the lead-up is the same.

How has the team responded to the inclusion of the 20/20 fixture to the 2009 tournament?

Very positively 20/20 is very suited to how we like to play the game.

Who is a player to watch from the Samoan team that you expect will perform well throughout the tournament?

Totoa is a medium pace bowler who thinks about his bowling and can move the ball. I expect Totoa to cause a few problems for opposing batsman.

What is your number one tip for keeping players fresh throughout the tournament?

Good preparation. If you don't prepare well and a player's fitness is not up to par, it doesn't matter what you do during the tournament to try and keep players fresh.

Which team are Samoa most eager to face on the cricket pitch and why?

Papua New Guinea, because they set the benchmark in the Pacific of where other teams should aspire to be. They approach the game positively and they will give us an indication of where we are as a team.