One Day Cricket may be played at Port Moresby (19 Nov 1999)

18 November 1999

One Day Cricket may be played at Port Moresby

There is a distinct possibility the Amini Park cricket facility in Port Moresby may be the venue for a oneday international between Australia and the West Indies in the summer of 2000/2001.

I understand Australian cricket officials raised the possibility during a recent visit celebrating the first 'turning of the soil' on the yet to be built venue.

Meanwhile, it is my pleasure to introduce the latest addition to the Cricket Around The World team of contributors, David Faunt. David will bring you regular updates from Papua-New Guinea. Based in Lae, his reports will at first have a Lae slant to them, but it is intended to gradually include news from as many Associations in PNG as possible. If you are in PNG and would like David to include news from your Association, he can be contacted on dwfaunt@global.net.pg

"The Lae Cricket Association's 1999/2000 competition commenced in early October, and has completed the first four games of Round One. The competition, which will run for three rounds is planned to finish in April 2000. The LCA has approximately 200 players registered.

Lae boasts a lively competition with seven A-Grade and eight B-Grade teams competing. The competition has a real multi-cultural flavour, which is a feature of many aspects of life in Papua New Guinea - the game was first taken up as a sport on the Papuan side of the country and clubs competing almost all have ethnic Papuan origins, but have incorporated overseas expatriates and players from many other parts of the country as well.

Lae has a tropical climate, and the Lae Cricket Association's playing fields, located at the University of Technology and Igam Army Barracks in the city, provide lush green, picturesque settings for the games. Pitches are synthetic for ease of maintenance.

A feature of the start to the season was a recent coaching clinic run by ex-Queensland and Australian player, Carl Rackemann, who provided coaching tips to young players.

There are a number of ex-international and current junior international players forming the core of Lae Clubs - notable imports to Lae for the current season are William Maha, the current PNG Junior Coach, and Wala Vala, an exciting all-rounder who is the current PNG Junior captain. Wala has already produced fine batting and bowling performances for Ela Motors Hoods, last season's premiers, and Wiliiam Maha reports on Wala's whirlwind innings in the PNG win against Singapore in the Asian Cricket Youth Tournament in July this year. An exciting prospect for the future!"

Editor's note: One of the difficulties Lae and other associations face in PNG is getting gear at reasonable prices and accessing assistance. New cricket balls cost K65.00 due to the exchange rate and a 40% duty the PNG Government imposes on all sporting equipment. Balls used in A Grade are refurbished for use in B Grade by the same club.