Aussie cricket legends give out handy tips

mlipen Normal, Sports

SCHOOL children from the Ela Murray International and Gordon International schools learnt some basic cricket skills when Australian cricket legends representing Bank South Pacific (BSP) visited the schools on Monday for a one-hour training clinic.
The girls and boys were treated to a fun learning experience and getting first-hand cricket knowledge from the cricket legends.
Australian High Commissioner Chris Moraitis, Cricket PNG general manager Bill Leane, current PNG national coaching director Andy Bichel, Andrew Symonds and Michael Kasprowicz visited Ela Murray International while Jimmy Maher, Greg Blewett and Damien Martyn visited Gordon International School.
At the end of coaching clinic at Ela Murray, Cricket PNG through Leane and Bichel donated three boxes of reading books towards the school’s library. These books are to help students learn as well as enjoy sport.
Leane and Ela Murray International principal Susan Savage promised to extend the cricket programmes at the school next year and investigate a cricket academy and its future feasibility.
“What a wonderful experience it has been  here for a third time in PNG since April. 
“Andy came up here and is working hard for PNG cricket and developing it and just what we have seen over the weekend … so much talent and natural talent,” Kasprowicz said.
“We have been all over the world playing cricket, probably in more traditional cricket nations and this is probably the first time we are in a nation where cricket is not the high profile sport.
“In a sense, we are trying to build it up and having Andy (Bichel) here, he can ring up all his mates to come along and help out. The weekend was so great,” Martyn added.
“The future here is bright  for cricket so now we just got the Government to help get resources and facilities right for  and anything is possible, just look at their World rankings with the men on 23, the U19  ranked 12th and women’s 15th and they are already over achieving,” Symonds said.
“I think it’s a great initiative obviously coming out to help  Andy, who is the PNG coaching director and you know there’s a lot of potential and talent here.”
“I think while we are able to spread the message  about  not “drinking and driving” it is very important because so many people’s lives and innocent lives are affected  by someone, doing a silly act by having too many drinks and getting behind the wheel of a car,” Maher said.