Maha to coach U19 cricket side

RODNEY Maha has been appointed as head coach of the national team for the Jan 14-Feb 5 Under-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup in the West Indies.
“This is a great honour and a popular choice,” Cricket Papua New Guinea (CPNG) general manager Tony Naidu said of the former representative player’s appointment.
“Maha is not new to the cricket scene nor the sporting industry in PNG.”
Naidu said Maha brought with him a wealth of experience.
Meanwhile, Maha said he had been working in different roles with CPNG for 12 years.
He started as a development officer and then became Morobe’s cricket manager before becoming the head coach of the national women’s team in 2015.
“I then became the competitions coordinator before being given the role of cricket development manager,” Maha said.
National talent identification manager Maha oversees the identification and recruitment of male and female players in the junior and senior cricket programmes.
He has already been involved with the U19 team from talent identification through to their training programme.
“I feel it is not only about coaching, but also playing a few other roles like being a parent and role model,” Maha said.
He said his squad were doing well at training and had created an important bond among each other.
“I hope my players do well,” Maha said.
“I am positive that they will play well next month. We will be playing against full member nations.
“These nations will have a high level of skills, as expected.
“But we will try to match them with our talent and spirit for which PNG is well known.”