Barramundis to leave for Aust

By ROBINSON LEKA
THE Papua New Guinea Barramundis are scheduled to leave the country in two months’ time to compete in Australia following ongoing discussions with Cricket PNG (CPNG) and Australian authorities. CPNG general manager Lee McDowell told The National that the team would be in Australia by August with a host of lead up matches arranged before the Twenty-20 World Cup in India in October. “We have been busy and are close to achieving all relevant approvals for the Barras to enter Australia,” he said.  “After quarantine they will travel to Darwin to play in the Northern Territory (NT) Cricket 365 T20 strike league beginning on Aug 15. “This competition will involve two Big Bash League franchises as well as 30 Australian or state-based players mixed through the other four NT franchise teams. “It will be highly competitive, much needed cricket for the boys. “Immediately after that we then travel to Oman where we will have two weeks of training and practise games before playing Scotland and Oman in the Cricket World Cup League two 50-over competition.  “After which we will have up to another two weeks of lead up before the ICC T20 World Cup begins mid-October.” McDowell said the programme had required a lot of work to organise and multiple government approvals to be signed off and they were currently dealing with the last hurdle and hoped to formally announce confirmation in the next week or two. Meanwhile, McDowell said talks were still ongoing to have new Barras coach Carl Sandri in PNG. Sandri will also accommodate the role of national high performance manager. “Carl is conducting all coaching and directions via available technology at the moment while national assistant coach John Ovia, strength and conditioning lead Meiling Choong and national talent manager Rodney Maha oversee the players in Port Moresby.”