Wanderers have huge task against Coasters

By LESLIE OMARO
COMPETITON leaders Badili Hardware Wanderers will have a mammoth task of taming Pacific MMI Coasters in Port Moresby cricket on Sunday.
Wanderers who easily steamrolled Kira Kira Cricket Club (KCC) by nine wickets in the last round will need to step up a notch when they face the Keapara men in red.
Pace bowler Jacob Mado who is in training for the Twenty20 World Cup qualifiers with teammate Hitolo Areni will be Coasters main strike weapon.
Mado said he was happy with the way he was performing lately, especially with the bat.
“I am growing confident with every game and it is nice to hit some big scores in the game and replace the runs we lost when our top batsmen get out quickly.
“I made 53 runs and hit four sixes in our 46-run win against Raukele so that has really boosted my morale to bat well every weekend.”
Mado, who weighed almost 100kg prior to his preparations for the qualifiers, said it had been a big challenge for him but he was determined to make the trip to Dubai.
“The trainers said I was overweight so I have to trim down to at least 88kg.
“I was at 98kg but now I am 93.7kg so there’s some more work to be done.
“I believe I can shed some of that weight and be fit in time for the qualifiers.
“I am really seeing the benefits of training on the extra day and it is really paying off.  I am happy to spend some more time doing weights and batting and bowling in the nets.
“And all that training I guess in many ways helped me to perform well in the local competition,” Mado said.
The only other result from last week saw United crushing Kempa by 159 runs while two other matches were washed out following heavy rains.
In the women’s division, Coasters defeated BNG Poreporena by six wickets with Pauke Siaka top-scoring for Coasters with 56 runs.
In the other match, United walked over Wanderers by seven wickets.
After 13 weeks of competition, the points ladder for the premier division has Wanderers leading with 31 points followed by Poreprena (22), United (19), Hoods (16), Coasters (16), KCC (11), Raukele (7) and Kempa (1).
In the women’s, United are leading with 24 points followed by Poreporena (24), Coasters (22), Wanderers (13) and Trukai Hoods (-4).
In the indoor junior competition, Raukele Veibs, undefeated all season, will meet second placed United in the U12 final tomorrow. It should be a thriller as two runs separating both teams in their round robin clash this season.
In the U14 division, Raukele meet Monier Kauka in a surprise final after both teams knocked out leaders Coasters and Monier Kauka last weekend.
In U16 category, exciting talents should be on display as BNG Poreporena face Trukai Hoods.
There are four rounds remaining in the women’s competition.