Tonga: Cricket gets royal blessing as domestic season continues

Eight teams are contesting the present Tongan domestic season which started on Christmas Eve.

The teams have been split into two pools. The win/loss record for each team as of two weeks ago is in brackets:
Pool A - Ha'amonga (P2, W2, LO), Tu'lokomana (P2, W1, L1), Vai'ko Puna (P2, W1, L1), Funga'ataveha (P2, W0, L2);
Pool B - Mapuhoi'a Tevolo (P3, W3, L 0), Kolonga Barbarians (P3, W2, L1), Alonga'lo Kolomotu'a (P3, W1, L2), Sout City (P3, W0, L3).

The league was interrupted midseason so the national team could compete in the inaugural Pacifica Cup tournament in Auckland, New Zealand. It performed credibly finishing fourth, narrowly losing by two wickets in the playoff for third place to the more experienced Papua New Guinea.

Meanwhile two teams from Tonga's second island, Eua Island, will visit Nuku'alofa to play matches against two District under 21 combinations.

On the developmental front, the future of cricket on and off the field has been boosted this month, with the start of the second annual Wesleyan Church Sunday Schools Boys Brigade competition.

Twenty teams from 10 villages around the main island of Tongatapu have completed a pre-season tournament, and are presently contesting the main stage, which was opened by the King of Tonga.

The Present of the Tonga Cricket Association, Mr. Siale 'Ataonga Puloka, is pleading for teams to visit the Kingdom.

"What we lack if visiting teams as we lack high level competition."

If you would like to get in touch with Mr. Puloka about visiting Tonga to play cricket, he can be emailed on pmotrain@kalianet.to