Garamuts team yet to be picked

By LESLIE OMARO
CRICKET PNG (CPNG) is yet to announce the final squad for the PNG Garamuts that will be participating at the U19 ICC World Cup in Australia in August.
Australia won the last World Cup in 2010 when it was staged in New Zealand and this will be their second time to host the bi-annual event.
CPNG staffer John Ovia made it clear that a train-on squad and the team management have also yet to be selected.
Ovia said this after a report in the other daily confirmed him as the U19 Garamuts coach.
“The U19 squad will be announced once CPNG general manager Greg Campbell comes back from his break,” Ovia said.
“Once Greg is back then we will be able to confirm the latest Garamuts preparations and other information regarding the players, team managements and selections.
“But at present a group of Garamut possibles are training together with some of the contracted Barramundi players and the PNG women’s team the Lewas squad.
“Some of the PNG Geckos (U16) players like Dogodo Bau and Alei Nou are also in training with these squads and are considered fringe players for the Garamuts.
“Also some seasoned performers from the Port Moresby U19 competition have been invited to train alongside the Garamuts and the rest of the squads,” Ovia said.
The former PNG batsman said most of the Barramundi contracted players were away on international duties at the Australia Country Cricket Championships.
The World Cup has been staged eight times, with New Zealand (2002, 2010) and Sri Lanka (2000, 2006) hosting it twice, South Africa staged the event in 1998, Australia (1988), Bangladesh (2004) and Malaysia (2008) have hosted the event once each.
As hosts, Australia won the inaugural edition of the tournament and since then have won the 2002 and 2010 titles as well.
India won the 2000 edition beating hosts Sri Lanka and also beat South Africa to claim the 2008 edition.