Cricket wins award

Cricket PNG have the best overall development programme in the region.
 They won the top award in the 2011 Pepsi International Cricket Council East-Asia Pacific region announced yesterday.
The programme recorded 116,381 participants from 300 schools in 2011, more than double the figure from 2010.
This strong growth is a result of the hard work, commitment and stability of the Cricket PNG administration.
Cricket PNG also took out the category of best junior participation initiative for their Liklik cricket programme.
On the back of the success of the BSP junior participation programme, PNG has begun making the vital link of turning their mass participation into organised junior competitions via Liklik Cricket.
Children are now competing against each other on a weekly basis in the U12 to U17 age groups in seven of the 10 provinces which have established cricket competitions.
Photo of the Year also went to Cricket PNG for a promotional shot taken by Australian photographer Mark Dadswell of a young boy participating in the BSP School Kriket programme in Central province.
Other EAP award winners were the Cook Islands (best cricket promotion and marketing programme and best volunteer of the year – Taoi Nooroa),  Fiji (best women’s cricket initiative and lifetime service award – late Luisa Rika) and Japan (best sprirt of cricket initiative).
The EAP award winners will now join winners from the four other Pepsi International Cricket Council development programme regions at the ICC Global Awards later this year.