PNG to host international associate series
Tony Munro
Liam Brickhill
25-Feb-2013
Tony Munro
International cricket will come to Papua New Guinea next week when the national team hosts Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore in the Air Niugini International Supa Series from September 1 to 5.
There will be two tournaments in one as the four teams initially play each other once in the 50-over format during the first three days before converting to Twenty20 mode on the last two days, culminating in a final.
Visiting national teams to PNG are rare - perhaps the only exception being West Indies in 1975, so numerically at least this is possibly the biggest tournament of its kind in PNG cricket history.
Hong Kong pipped Malaysia for third place at this year's ACC Trophy Elite while Singapore were controversially denied promotion from World Cricket League Division Five in February. Singapore's squad is understood to be near full strength while Hong Kong has some players absent because of club commitments in England.
Papua New Guinea and Hong Kong will meet again January when WCL Division Three is held in Hong Kong.
One-day schedule
Wednesday September 1
PNG vs Malaysia 10.00am Amini Park
Hong Kong vs Singapore 11.00am Colts Ground
Thursday September 2 PNG vs Singapore 10:30am Colts Ground Hong Kong vs Malaysia 10:30am Amini Park
Friday September 3 PNG vs Hong Kong 10:30am Amini Park Malaysia vs Singapore 10:30am Colts Ground
Thursday September 2 PNG vs Singapore 10:30am Colts Ground Hong Kong vs Malaysia 10:30am Amini Park
Friday September 3 PNG vs Hong Kong 10:30am Amini Park Malaysia vs Singapore 10:30am Colts Ground
Twenty20 schedule
Saturday September 4
Hong Kong vs Malaysia 10.00am Amini Park
PNG vs Singapore 10.00am Colts Ground
PNG vs Hong Kong 2.00pm Colts Ground
Malaysia vs Singapore 2.00pm Amini Park
Sunday September 5 PNG vs Malaysia 10.00am Amini Park Hong Kong VS Singapore 10.00am Colts Ground Grand Final 2.00pm Amini Park
Sunday September 5 PNG vs Malaysia 10.00am Amini Park Hong Kong VS Singapore 10.00am Colts Ground Grand Final 2.00pm Amini Park
Liam Brickhill is a freelance journalist based in Cape Town