Aussie players invited

By JAMIE HARO
FOUR Australian marquee players will take part in the women’s Isuzu T20 Smash cricket competition set to start next month at the Amini Park in Port Moresby.
This is part of the Australian Government’s High Performance PacificAus Sports Programme to upskill players in the country.
Former Australian wicket keeper Julie Price, who was in PNG last week through the programme as a coach mentor, confirmed this after spending time with the PNG Lewas and Siales ahead of their tour preparations. “The marquee players will not have it all their own way, but they will have the opportunity to play with against PNG girls who have a fantastic love and enthusiasm for the game,” Price said recently.
“Bringing the marquee players up to compete at this tournament is vital. The four teams in this T20 smash will have a player each in their teams and see how they can have really good conversations with about various aspects of their own game.
“It’s a development of ensuring that they’re keeping up with the rest of the game and constantly challenging and developing themselves.”
The competition starts on April 20.
A commentator and co-founder of Aspire Cricket USA, Price spent a week to assist CPNG’s coaching staff David Drew and Mahuru Dai with their preparations for both the Lewas and Siales.
This is the second time the Australia Government has supported Price to visit PNG through PacificAus Sports, following an in-country coaching clinic in August last year to help the Lewas prepare for the ICC EAP regional qualifiers in Vanuatu.
“Past Lewas coach Kath Hempenstall did a great job with the global qualifiers, and David Drew is here to bring in his own style to continue to develop the Lewas,” she said.
“I have had a working relation with David Drew, when we were both working together in Tasmania as Tigers and Hurricanes coaches, so I’m very confident with David’s ability to continue to develop the Lewas be ranked within the top 10, as they are currently ranked 11th on the ICC.”