Squads for centre of excellence announced

The ICC East Asia - Pacific (EAP) Development Program today announced squads to attend the EAP Emerging Players Program and EAP Squad Camp which will both be held in November at the Cricket Australia Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Brisbane.

The EAP Emerging Players Program, a new initiative for 2007, will showcase some of the region's most talented young players in a bid to accelerate their development and progression into senior national teams.

The EAP Squad Camp, held annually since 2003, brings together the EAP region's best performed players in preparation for the Australian Country Cricket Championships which will be held in Mackay, Queensland in January, 2008.

Both squads will experience a week of intensive coaching, training and skill development under the tutelage of Australia's leading coaches. The program will also see each squad compete in a series of Twenty20 and 50-over one-day matches against local opposition in Brisbane.

"This is a key activity of the EAP High Performance Program and provides the region's best players with a fantastic opportunity to extend their development," commented ICC EAP Development Officer Ben Oliver. "Through the support of Cricket Australia and the Centre of Excellence we are able to access arguably the best high performance cricket centre in the world."

Featuring the premier cricketers from the ICC's Associate and Affiliate countries in the EAP region, the two squads include players from the Cook Islands, Fiji, Japan, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Tonga and Vanuatu.

Each player has been selected based on their performances at national and international level over the past 12-18 months while also taking into account the long term development objectives of the EAP High Performance Program.

"Selection this year was extremely difficult," added Mr. Oliver. "The identification of some very talented younger players has added another dimension to the program and will hopefully lead to strong performances from EAP countries in global tournaments in 2008 and beyond."

The squad for the 2007 EAP Emerging Players Program is:

Colin Amini (PNG), Arua Dikana (PNG), Willie Gavera (PNG), Masaomi Kobayashi (Japan), Trevor Langa (Vanuatu), Jacob Mado (PNG), Simpson Obed (Vanuatu), Pritchard Pritchard (Samoa), Sekove Ravoka (Fiji), Salesi Tu'Akoi (Tonga), Tony Ura (PNG), Vani Vagi Morea (PNG)

The squad for the 2007 EAP Squad Camp is:

Chris Amini (PNG), Hitolo Areni (PNG), Kapena Arua (PNG), Inoa Baeau (PNG), Jamie Brazier (PNG), Tatsuro Chino (Japan), Mahuru Dai (PNG), Rarua Dikana (PNG), Dunu Eliaba (Cook Islands), Mahuta Kivung (PNG), Andrew Mansale (Vanuatu), Ipi Morea (PNG), Loa Nou (PNG), John Ovia (PNG), Josefa Rika (Fiji), Assad Vala (PNG)