Fiji team for EAP trophy announced

Tony Munro

The Fiji Blues, the men’s national cricket team, has been selected for this year’s East Asia Pacific Cricket Trophy. The squad includes a number of changes from the team that competed for the Stafford-Knight Trophy series in Vanuatu in May.

Greg Browne, Josefa Rika and Australian based Seci Tuiwai join the squad along with Seru Tupou, who impressed at the Under-19 East Asia Pacific Cricket tournament. Kida Jikoivanualevu and Taniela Waqa have also been added to the team.

“We have used this tournament as an opportunity to have a look at some of the players in international competition prior to our important World Cricket League competition in Nepal in January next year,” Cricket Fiji’s High Performance Manager, Stephen Jenkin said.

“There are a number of players who have been a bit unlucky to miss out on a place in this squad because of their past performances and good training attitude, but they are still very much in contention for a place in the Blues come Nepal.”

The tournament will take place in Samoa from September 17 to 26 and will be split into two sections.

The first section will be a Twenty20 tournament where the eight competing nations will be split into two pools of four teams with the winners of each pool facing each other in the final.

The second section will be played using a 50-over format with the Blues playing against the two other World Cricket League countries – Papua New Guinea and Japan – in a double round robin competition.

Squad: Josefa Sorovakatini (C), Josefa Dabea, Josefa Rika, Greg Browne, Iniasi Cakacaka, Joji Bulabalavu, Josaia Baba, Kida Jikoivanualevu, Maciu Babiau, Sakaraia Lomani, Seci Tuiwai, Seru Tupou, Taniela Waqa, Viliame Yabaki.

Non-Travelling Reserves: Inoke Cama, Eric Browne, Peni Rika, Tukana Tavo.