Development - East-Asia Pacific

2006 EAP Squad Camp Highlights

The EAP squad recently converged on Brisbane for a two-week intensive camp at the world-renowned Commonwealth Bank Centre of Excellence (CBCE)

ICC Development (Americas) Media Release
Josefa Rika's agility put to the test © ICC
The EAP squad recently converged on Brisbane for a two-week intensive camp at the world-renowned Commonwealth Bank Centre of Excellence (CBCE).

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The EAP squad that attended the CBCE camp was:
Hitolo Areni (PNG), Josaia Baba (Fiji), Inoa Baeau (PNG), Tatsuro Chino (Japan), Mahuru Dai (PNG), Jack Ebani (PNG), Gimapau Keimelo (PNG), Tikovanualevu Kida (Fiji), Trevor Langa (Vanuatu), Andrew Mansale (Vanuatu), John Ovia (PNG), Josefa Rika (Fiji), Dawn Tare (Cook Islands), Kitione Tavo (Fiji), Arua Uda (PNG), Assad Vala (PNG).

The primary focus of the 2006 camp was to again provide the best players from the EAP region with the opportunity to experience a high performance development program in the context of EAP preparations for the 2007 Australian Country Cricket Championships.

During the camp players were exposed to some of Australia's leading coaches, first-class turf training and match facilities, advanced technology systems and strong match opposition.

Leading the coaching panel was CBCE Head Coach Tim Nielsen who, in conjunction with Brian McFadyen (CBCE Senior Coach), Jamie Siddons (CBCE Senior Coach) and Troy Cooley (CA Pace Bowling Coach); put the squad through a demanding schedule of fitness testing, video analysis, advanced skill development drills and match awareness activities.

Jade Roberts (CBCE Strength & Conditioning Coach) also introduced the players to core strength activities and the ice-cold plunge pools at Allan Border Field. Both activities were designed to provide players with an insight into the physical requirements of elite cricket and the importance of recovery.

Following a week of preparation at the CBCE the squad headed west to Toowoomba where they conducted a clinic with students from Toowoomba East Primary School before kicking off a series of matches with a Twenty20 battle against Metropolitan East CC.

One-day matches followed against Darling Downs and Toowoomba Cavaliers before heading back to Brisbane for two matches against an Australian Sports Gateway (ASG) XI.

Camp Highlights

  • The commitment of all players as they pushed their development to a new level.
  • Kitione Tavo's match-winning 1/12 off 8 overs and 38no for Souths CC in their Toowoomba Cricket A Grade fixture.
  • Arua Uda's century against ASG at Allan Border Field that set up a nail-biting 5 run victory.
  • Disciplined bowling from the squad's pace attack that allowed full utilization of seaming conditions to dismiss ASG for 76 at the immaculate Brisbane Grammar Playing Fields.
  • The in-form batting of Mahuru Dai, Assad Vala and the entire top order throughout the camp.
  • Watching Australian players Matthew Hayden and Michael Kasprowicz up close as they prepared for the first Ashes Test against England.
  • Team activities at Surfers Paradise, Wet'n'Wild theme park on the Gold Coast and Brisbane's Southbank.

    • Match Results

    Match 1: EAP v Metropolitan East CC (Twenty20) at Harristown Park Metropolitan East CC 8/145cc (Areni 3/33, Ebani 2/26, Baeau 2/24) def EAP 8/117cc (Dai 63no)

    Match 2: EAP v Darling Downs XI (ODI) at Warwick Darling Downs XI 10/174 (Ovia 4/33, Baeau 3/35) def EAP 10/141 (Uda 50, Ovia 31)

    5 EAP players participated in Toowoomba Club Cricket on Saturday 11 November and registered the following results:

  • Kitione Tavo (38no & 1/12 off 8 overs)
  • Gimapau Keimelo (9 & 1/15 off 7 overs)
  • Andrew Mansale (16 & 0/31 off 8 overs)
  • Assad Vala (9)
  • Josefa Rika (2)

    • Match 3: EAP v Toowoomba Cavaliers (ODI) at Heritage Oval Toowoomba Cavaliers 8/278 (Tavo 2/46, Areni 2/65) def EAP 10/107 (Vala 33, Dai 22, Uda 20)

    Match 4: EAP v Australian Sports Gateway XI (ODI) at Allan Border Field EAP 6/296 (Uda 100, Dai 84no, Vala 57, Kida 29) def ASG 4/291 (Tavo 2/18)

    Match 5: EAP v Australian Sports Gateway XI (2-day match) at Brisbane Grammar Playing Fields EAP 2/183 (Vala 51no, Dai 50no, Uda 40, Kida 40) def ASG 10/76 (Keimelo 3/9, Baeau 3/13, Areni 2/26)

    Match 6: EAP v Australian Sports Gateway XI (Twenty20) at Brisbane Grammar Playing Fields ASG 9/136 (Mansale 3/16, Ebani 2/19, Keimelo 2/23) def EAP 10/85 (Vala 28no, Dai 22)

    Following the camp EAP selectors announced the squad for the 2007 ACCC. The squad is as follows:

    Rarua Dikana (PNG - Captain), Hitolo Areni (PNG), Inoa Baeau (PNG), Jamie Brazier (PNG), Tatsuro Chino (Japan), Mahuru Dai (PNG), Gimapau Keimelo (PNG), Tikovanualevu Kida (Fiji), Andrew Mansale (Vanuatu), Ipi Morea (PNG), John Ovia (PNG), Kitione Tavo (Fiji), Arua Uda (PNG), Assad Vala (PNG).

    This will be the 4th year of participation in the ACCC for the EAP region and expectations are now high following two breakthrough victories at the 2006 Championships in Mandurah, WA.

    This year will see the team travel to Mildura, situated on the Murray River in north-west Victoria, where they will again tackle Australia's best country-based players.

    Both the camp and ACCC form part of the EAP High Performance Program which is designed to assist the development of the region's leading players and countries.