EAP ready for Australian County Cricket Championships

Whether it be by car, plane or bus, the East Asia - Pacific (EAP) team will invade Albury on New Year's Day in preparation for the upcoming Australian Country Cricket Championships (ACCC).

The team consists of the best players throughout the region - the bulk of the side is from PNG, while Vanuatu and Fiji have three players and Japan has opening batsmen Masaomi Kobyashi and Assistant Coach Richard Laidler.

This is the seventh championships that EAP has fielded a side since the team travelled to Mt Gambier for the 2004 ACCC. Mandurah in 2006 has been the sides best result to date finishing fourth (in a six-team competition), while impressive in 2009 the side only managed one win with an excellent run chase against South Australia in the one-day format.

2010 will see the biggest change in the 25 years of the country championships with two new sides entering (ACT & Northern Territory) and the ever popular Twenty20 format will start the competition on January 3rd.

EAP will play two Twenty20 games against last year champions Queensland and later that afternoon play Victoria. Going into the one-day format will see the side take on South Australia and New South Wales, while they will play the remaining three sides in two-day action to complete the championships.

This side will be the youngest side that has played in the ACCC with the average age of the players at just over 20 years old, the oldest being Japanese opening bat Kobyashi at 27. EAP will have five debutants after the retirement to key players and some unavailable due to PNG qualifying for the under 19s ICC World Cup. This means 12 players will have have debut for the team over the last two championships.

Rarua Dikana who has is the most capped played with 29 games will be assisting the PNG u/19s so will not be leading the side for the first time in its seven-year history, while Ipi Morea and fellow PNG team mate John Ovia have both retired from international cricket while Mahuru Dai has been omitted from last year. Those four will mean the side loses 102 games of experience, although this does not worry EAP Coach Charlie Burke who believes the side is as well prepared and ready as ever.

"I believe the side has had better preparation than last year and with some young new stars of the region will give the team a new look and a new era has began for this group," said Burke.

Chris Amini who has played in two ACCC will be a welcome addition after missing last tournament with Pepsi ICC World Cricket League commitments with PNG and will be vice captain to Andrew Mansale (Vanuatu).

"It is great to be back in the team after missing last year, I'm excited about the role as a leader and think the side should be very competitive with some good young players ready to put on a show," said Amini.

The side will meet in Sydney on New Year's Day before flying to Albury (NSW) as a team. The side will play a warm up T20 match against local opposition before their first game against Victoria on Saturday 3rd January at Xavier High School.

The side as follows:

Charlie Burke - Coach (ICC Regional Development Officer)

Richard Laidler - Assistant Coach (Japan)