Cricket sides take challenge

THE Kumul Petroleum Papua New Guinea Lewas and Garamuts have been challenged and motivated by the Barramundis recent performance in the Twenty-20 World Cup, an official says.
Cricket PNG general manager Tony Naidu said this has been the most exciting time in the history of Cricket in PNG with a bright future ahead for the sport.
“We just had the Barramundis play in the T-20 World Cup and next week the Lewas will be departing next week for the Women’s World Cup qualifiers in Zimbabwe,” Naidu told The National.
“We got the Under-19 (Garamuts) going to the West Indies for the World Cup just a few weeks after the Lewas depart so if all goes to plan, next year will be just as busy as this year.
“We’ve got over 18 fixtures for the men already in position, we’ve got three world cups including the under-19s,” he said.
“It’s the most exciting time in the history of Cricket PNG, the Lewas are excited and challenged to reach the world cup to be hosted in New Zealand next year.
“Our Pacific brothers and sisters in Australia and New Zealand have wished us well.
“They pay attention to us in cricket and it’s been great so we want the Lewas to go out and show the world what they can do.”
Naidu said everyone in the schools and village cricket programmes should be seeing a pathway to get to the world stage and represent the country.
“I told some of the under-19 boys who are going to West Indies, you watched the games and you saw what we need to do now.
“You need train harder, eat right, listen to your coaches, do all these things and in the next four to five years you should be a Barramundi,” Naidu said.
“You should be playing in the world cup, not just the U19, you should be aiming for the World Cup.
“Going forward our aim is to be in every world cup that should be our goal.”