Vanuatu announce training squad

The road to World Cup qualification begins next week for Vanuatu, with the announcement of the pre-squad for the East Asia-Pacific Cup. The squad will start an intense three-month training schedule on Tuesday.

The EAP Cup will be held in Auckland in December, with the top two teams from the tournament qualifying for the World Cricket League Division 5 tournament, to be held in Jersey in mid-2008.

Vanuatu have a good chance of qualifying, but will compete with Japan, Samoa, Cook Islands, Indonesia and Tonga.

The pre-squad consists of 24 players from five local clubs, and contains a mix of wise heads and youthful talent, including ten boys from the national Under-19 squad that finished second at the U19 World Cup Qualifying Tournament in July. The squad will be whittled down in mid-October to the final 14 players to make the trip to Auckland.

Training will be held twice a week in the initial stages of preparation - and the players will also be expected to attend an umpiring course before the tournament.

The squad will be lead in training by local coach Pierre Chilia and national captain Patrick Haines, who is currently recovering from an injured back and ankle.

Pre-squad Patrick Haines, Kenneth Natapei, Andrew Mansale, Trevor Langa, Ben Kingsbury, Selwyn Garae, Frederick Timakata, Kenny Tari, Simpson Obed, Michael Avok, Jono Dunn, Lazaro Carlot, Richard Tatwin, Lenika Natapei, Aby Joel, Steven Lynch, Edy Mansae, Tari Seru, Pierre Chilia, Brendan Lucnh, Victor Aru, Namkani Lekai, Manu Nimoho, Sam Mahit