PNG win opening match against EAP
The PNG Scholarship players based on the Gold Coast have opened their account against an East-Asia Pacific (EAP) training squad with a comrehensive 123 run win in the first of two 50 over matches to be played this week.
Despite missing a few starts the EAP side comprises of some of the best players from around the region including Joe Rika (Fiji Captain), Andrew Mansale (Vanuatu Captain), Patrick Matautava (Vanuatu), Simpson Obed (Vanuatu), Trevor Langa (Vanuatu) and Alex Patmore (Japan).
The EAP players will undergo a number of skills based training sessions throughout the week and will play a series of matches against the PNG players who are on the Brian Bell Future Stars scholarship.
The matches will also be used as a selection guide for the EAP team to the Australian Country Cricket Championship to be held in Bundaberg, Queensland in January 2013.
PNG won the toss and decided to bat on what appeared to be a batting paradise.
They were out of the blocks in quick time with explosive pair Assad Vala and Tony Ura getting PNG off to a flyer.
Ura was the first to fall after he was caught at short cover for a quick-fire 23 (18 balls). Vala then followed soon after which sparked a middle-order collapse to have them reeling at 5/78.
However, young gun Charles Amini batted extremely well under pressure in the latter half of the innings to resurrect his side. He had several crucial partnerships in the middle and later overs with Sese Bau (16), Jack Vare (9) and the match defining partnership of 91 off the last 12 overs with Norman Vanua (46 0ff 40 balls) to boost the total to a respectable 8/241 off the allotted 50 overs.
Amini finished unbeaten with a polished innings of 79 (88 balls) as he guided the PNG lower order with the help of some lusty hitting from Vanua (4 sixes) from a precarious position of 5/78 to a respectable 8/241 off the 50 overs.
Best with the ball for the EAP side was Patrick Matautava (Vanuatu) 2-46, Kabua Vagi Morea (PNG) 2-43 and Simpson Obed (Vanuatu) 2-45 who all picked up two wickets each.
Set a target of 242 for victory, the EAP side were unable to keep in touch with the run rate right from the start as new ball pairing of Toua Tom and Norman Vanua made life difficult for the EAP batsmen with some accurate pace bowling.
EAP lost their first wicket with some smart fielding in the outfield from Sese Bau.
Japanese opening batsman Alex Patmore was the next batsman to go as he shouldered arms to an in swinging Toua Tom (1 for 5) delivery to have his castle shattered. Fijian captain, Joe Rika then skied a pull shot of a Norman Vanua (1 for 10) delivery to put the EAP side in further trouble.
PNG bowlers then took wickets at regular intervals with some tight fielding and accurate bowling to eventually dismiss the EAP side for 118 at the end of the 40th over. Tony Ura with his handy off spinners picked up 3/16 with Jason Kila 2/30, Sese Bau 2/30 and Charles Amini 1/20 to complete a dominant performance by the PNG boys.
PNG will play EAP in the second 50 over match today at Runaway Bay Sporting Ground followed by two T20 matches on Thursday.