Five teams to compete in Fiji Women's Championship

Cricket Fiji's first national Women's Cricket Championship has attracted five teams to compete in the tournament starting on Monday.

With women's cricket development work taking place in a number of centres throughout the country, cricket officials are pleased with the turn out for the national championship.

"It is great to see teams coming in from all around the country," said Cricket Fiji General Manager, Martin Shaw. "We have attracted teams not only from Suva, but also from the west and even the Lau Islands."

The five competing teams are the Nadi Jetsetters, Lomary Schoolies, Suva Flying Angels, Moce Islanders and Veimataqali.

At the conclusion of the tournament, Fiji's first national women's team will be announced for its international series against Samoa which acts as a qualifying tournament for the East Asia Pacific Women's Cricket Trophy to be played in Japan in May.

The five-day tournament starts on Monday and will be played at two grounds ? Suva Grammar and the Army Barracks Ground.

"This promises to be a great tournament," said Shaw. "The players have been training and playing in their own regions for a while and now the best from each region will come together to play for the national championship and possibly earn a place in the national team.

"It's a great step forward for cricket in Fiji to offer these opportunities for women and we know it will only get bigger in the future."