PNG Cricketers off to Great Start at Arafura Games

The two PNG sides competing in the cricket competition at the Arafura Games have got off to solid starts with the PNG Air Nuigini Crocs on top of the table after winning their first two matches and the PNG Hebou Hammers equal second with one win and one loss.

With two Teams competing at the Arafura games Cricket PNG has used the Event to split up its emerging talent and to blood new leaders within the group.

With players as young as 17 years competing Cricket PNG has taken a serious developmental approach to this high profile International Event.

The Cricket competition is being played as a round robin T20 event with two games per team per day. The Gold Medal game will be on Friday.

In the Morning's games the PNG Hebou Hammer 2/57 defeated the SMS Saints from Malaysia 10/36. In the other match containing a PNg side the Air Niugini Crocs 4/136 accounted for the NT Development Team 7/136 with 8 balls to spare.To complete the round the Cricket Australia Indigenous defeated Australian Defence Forces by 30 runs.

In the Afternoon matches the NT Development Squad bounced back to thrash the SMS Saints by 200 runs. The Air Niugini Crocs 3/104 defeated CA Indigenous 8/102 with 7 over's to spare in a result that announced the young side as the new favourites for gold. In the final match of day 1 the PNG Hebou Hammer were bowled out for just 80 to go down to Australian Defence Forces 8/125. They will look to return to their winning form on Tuesday.