Peter Wooden New Vanuatu Coach

The Vanuatu Cricket Association (VCA) is has announced Peter Wooden as their new High Performance and Development Manager and National Head Coach.

Vanuatu Cricket Association President, Mark Stafford, says that the "VCA is absolutely delighted to have a young enthusiastic man of Peter's undoubted talent coming to Vanuatu to help further develop our sport."

"The selection panel received many excellent applications and we are very pleased that so many well-credentialed candidates showed an interest in Vanuatu Cricket," Stafford continued. "However, we were greatly impressed with Peter Wooden's presentation at the final interview. Despite the quality of the other candidates, we had no hesitation in immediately offering the position to Peter."

Peter who is currently the Head Coach at Kowloon Cricket Club in Hong Kong has also coached in Australia and the United Kingdom and established the Sydney International Sports Academy.

"It is an honour and a privilege to work for the Vanuatu Cricket Association at an exciting time for Cricket in the East Asia Pacific region," said Wooden. "Vanuatu has a rich cricket history and an enviable culture in a beautiful part of the world that I am now proud to be part of. It is my hope to continue to build upon the hard work that has already been established in improving the profile and performance of Cricket in Vanuatu domestically and on the international stage."

"I am very thankful for the opportunity and aim to work closely with the President, General Manager and the VCA Board in achieving Cricket success on and off the field."

Current Head Coach, Patrick Haines, is also excited about the appointment and is keen to begin working with him.

Pierre Chilia, the VCA General Manager is pleased to have someone with Wooden's background to help move the VCA's Development Program further forward.

"Peter will take charge of the preparation of the Digicel Vanuatu Cricket teams from the beginning of June 2012," said Chilia. "The preparation for the ICC World Cricket League Division 8 Tournament to be played in Samoa in September 2012 will be a high priority as will the preparation of our Digicel U-17 and U-16 Boys teams that will be competing in Fiji and New Caledonia in August and September 2012. He will also have control of the ANZ High Performance Program, the VCA?s elite development activity."

The VCA will be able to briefly introduce Peter Wooden to the cricketing and wider community when he visits Port Vila during the Pepsi ICC EAP Womens Cricket Championship that Vanuatu is hosting between 14 and 18 May 2012.