Nine Barras in EAP team

Normal, Sports
Source:

The National, Tuesday 22nd November 2011

NINE PNG Barramundis players have been named in the ICC East Asia Pacific team to contest the Australian Country Cricket Championships (ACCC).
Each year Cricket Australia holds a championship where five states (Vic, SA, NSW, QLD and WA) and two territories (ACT and NT) plus an East Asia Pacific team compete in the regional tournament.
This event sees the cream of emerging country talent, blended with experienced country players in a tough battle to be crowned national champion.
In congratulating the successful PNG players, the CPNG acting general manager and former Australia Test and ODI player, Greg Campbell said: “To have nine players selected in a squad of 14 is outstanding.
“It shows that cricket in PNG is growing at a significant pace.
“We also will have Rarua Dikana our current national captain and national high performance manager at the championships as assistant coach of the East Asia Pacific team while Clive Elly, who is a level three international umpire and ICC sub-panel member umpire, has also been invited to umpire at this year’s championships.
“This means we have nine players, a coach and an umpire all competing with Australia’s best country cricketers.”
The others selected were from Vanuatu (2), Samoa (2) and Fiji (1).
The ACCC will be held in Geelong, Victoria on Jan 1-12.
The players will depart for the championship on Dec 29.  
Seven of the PNG players selected are already in Australia under the Brian Bell Future Stars Scholarship programme living and playing in different cities.
The two players, based in Port Moresby are Mahuru Dai and Chris Amini.
The seven players based in Australia are wicketkeeper Jack Vare, Assad Vala, Joel Tom, Willie Gavera, Tony Ura, Jason Kila, and Chris Kent.