Garamuts eager to build on 2017 heroics

After finishing second at the International Cricket Council East Asia-Pacific U19 competition in Fiji in 2015, the Papua New Guinea Garamuts set out to regain some lost pride.
The disappointing performance allowed winners Fiji to book themselves a spot at the 2016 ICC U19 Cricket World Cup, Bangladesh.
For the first time in many years, PNG would not be going to the U19 World Cup.
Thanks to their performances, Fiji had also become the No.1 ranked team in East Asia-Pacific.
However, Hebou Garamuts’ head coach Kila Pala was eager to turn that around.
“We held onto that disappointment for a long time,” he said.
“My goal from day as head coach of the Hebou PNG U19 Garamuts was to regain the No.1 status and take the team to the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup.”
A new team was formed last year, with the entire group emerging from the Bank South Pacific School Kriket programme.
This time, the International Cricket Council East Asia-Pacific U19 competition was in Samoa where the Garamuts went unbeaten, thrashing Fiji by 210 runs along the way.
Their 2017 heroics resulted in them being nominated in the team of the year category of the SP Sports Awards, and Pala is delighted with the nomination.
“It is an honour to be nominated in the category,” Pala said.
“The team went in as underdogs because Fiji were the previous side that reached the World Cup.
“But we knew we had a good crop of players from the Port Moresby competitions.”