EAP Camp begins with a defeat

The ICC EAP Centre of Excellence squad played its first match on Sunday and endured a heavy defeat.
The Scorchers, a local side, secured a seven-wicket win in a match that was played on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland.
EAP captain, Andrew Mansale (Vanuatu) won the toss and elected to bat. The EAP squad managed to get to 114 with contributions from PNG star Assad Vala (33) and Fiji captain Jo Rika (23).
It seemed 114 would be competitive on a slow pitch, but the Scorchers started their innings with a flurry of boundaries against the PNG opening bowlers Willie Gavera and Loa Nou.
The Scorchers then reached the EAP score with only three wickets down in the 17th over. Loa Nou was the pick of the EAP bowlers picking up 2/25 off his four overs.
Today saw the squad get together at Cricket Australia's Centre of Excellence (COE) in Brisbane.
With perfect weather and some of the best coaching in the world on offer, the players worked hard to ensure they got the maximum out of the day.
Coaches such as Craig McDermott, David Fitzgerald and Brian McFayden as well as PNG coach and former Australian player Andy Bichel assisted EAP coach Charlie Burke.
The week long camp concludes with a game against the Australian Sports Gateway X1 at Allan Border Field on Friday.
The squad is made up from players from PNG, Fiji, Japan, Vanuatu and Samoa, with two scholarship coaches, Soni Hawoe (Indonesia) and Richard Laidler (Japan), in attendance.