Ex-Barras keeper dies

THE cricket and media fraternities in Port Moresby are in mourning after the passing of former national representative and long serving sports editor, Numa Rawa Alu, on Tuesday.
The casket bearing the former national wicketkeeper and Pacific Games gold medalist will be handed over to Cricket Papua New Guinea (CPNG) today for a farewell programme to honour the 67-year-old.
There will be a final viewing by family, friends and colleagues at his residence off Angau Dr, following the Amini Park farewell, before the casket departs for Alukuni, Hood Lagoon, Central.
Alu, who worked at Post Courier through three decades (1980s, 1990s and 2000s), oversaw the coverage of many iconic moments in PNG’s sports history, including the 1991 South Pacific Games in Port Moresby and Ryan Pini’s gold medal win at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne.
He also co-paneled the Sports Breakfast Show on FM100 for more than a decade worked for the National Capital District Commission and was a passionate St George Illawarra Dragons fan as well as a Carlton Blues man in the AFL.
Alu is survived by wife Jessie, three children Daniel, Mary and Imran, 10 grandchildren and a great-grandchild.
Alu played for Hoods cricket club before becoming the Barramundis wicket keeper and won gold with the national team at the 1991 South Pacific Games hosted in Port Moresby.
Former Hoods and national teammate William Maha said he and Alu had experienced many good times playing the sport they loved.
“Farewell brother, you were a fine wicketkeeper and a key player in our many victories in Port Moresby cricket and on international tours we played together.”
Daughter Mary told The National yesterday of how her father had named his traditional racing canoe in Alukuni as Kipa Ralema which translates to “great keeper.”
Alu also toured in the Arafura Games, and made two International Cricket Council trophy tours to Holland in 1990 and Kenya in 1994 with a record of six catches in one match.
He was born in Alukuni on March 15, 1955, and married Jessie Nelson.
His son Imran Numa was named after Pakistan great Imran Khan. Although he passed on, the former Barramundi will be remembered for his influence and contributions to the sport of cricket in the country as well as his role as a journalist and newspaper editor covering sports.