Vanuatu Cricket Association season draws to its climax (3 Sep 1999)

2 September 1999

Vanuatu Cricket Association season draws to its climax

The Vanuatu Cricket Association season is drawing to its climax. The highlights for the season to date have been the exciting victory of the Mele Bulls Cricket Club. In the Independence Cup which is a knockout competition. Mele is in a complete reversal of form from previous seasons and is taking all before it in 1999. At this stage the season with one round still to play Mele has an unassailable lead on the league table - they are sure to finish on top of the ladder in September.

The contest for the finals for the BDO Barrett & Sinclair Shield for the league competition is still very open however. Mele is now assured of the position at the top of the table. North Efate seems certain to finish at the second position after a big win in the second last round against Tafea. However, the battle for third and fourth place will go down the wire in the last round. The teams competing for those spots are Paama, Malapoa College, Tafea and Sportspower.

The last round of the season has Sportspower facing the dominant Mele team. A loss will see Sportspower unable to make it and a win will secure third or fourth spot. The Paama team plays Tafea - it is a tough match for both teams a win will put them into the finals a loss will see them slip into the ranks of the 'also-rans'.

1999 season has been a mixed bag for the Vanuatu Cricket Association. At the opening of the season there was much interest and the impact that the students from Pakistan attending the Victoria Institute, a newly opened education institution in Port Vila, would have on the competition. It was determined that these 12 young men from cricket mad Pakistan would be distributed throughout the existing teams in the League. The allocation process was by ballot and some teams seemed lucky enough to receive some very good players others got the short end of the stick and wound up with some players that may never have played cricket before.

The results show that the Mele teams draw of Ashfaq was a boom for them and a great bonus. Ashfaq performed very well. However, the Victoria Institute proved to be a hollow Institute and folded within three months of opening due to lack of funds. That created a great consternation for the young Pakistani lads who in fact were left in a strange country pondering as to where their future lay. As it turned out all the Pakistanis have now left Vanuatu for a number of other educational institutions scattered around the globe. That was certainly a blow to the young men as it was a blow to the Vanuatu Cricket Association. We lost some good talent that had a profound influence in the short period that they were with us in Vanuatu.

One of the most distressing aspects of the 1999 season to date has been the complete lack of integrity in the umpiring of some of our players.

The VCA does not have any registered umpires thus players of the batting team have to carry out that very important duty as happens in many Leagues around the world. This correspondent considers that there is a lot to ponder about the interpretation of the rules of cricket that some of the umpires display. I do not know whether it is that people do not know the rules and make them up as they go along or that they interpret the rules of cricket to favour the decision that support their particular team or perhaps the fellows elected into umpiring are resentful of doing the job and try and ensure that they will never be asked to do it again by making some ridiculous decisions. Our only hope is that all of the strange and magical decisions that have been reached during the year have somehow evened themselves out as to the effect on the results.

In conjunction with the Australian High Commission who are holding an Australian celebration on the 11th - 18th September 1999" (which is one year out from the Sydney 2000 Olympics), we will be hosting a two week Kanga Cricket Tournament where we hope to see all the primary schools enter at least one team in each of the age categories. With any luck they could see a couple of hundred young boys and girls running around enjoying themselves playing a modified form of cricket on the hallowed turf of Independence Park in Port Vila. It is important because the youngsters are the future of cricket and any sport and we hope to see many of the kids participating in the Kanga Cricket Tournament playing in the Vanuatu Cricket Association League and play for the Vanuatu team in the future years.

There is time for a little bit of Nostradamus - like predictions and I shall try and select the League champions in the Vanuatu Cricket Association in 1999. Mele Cricket team must be favourites as they are way out on top in the League Championship. However, this correspondent's considered opinion is that Mele have won many of their matches through a great deal of luck and what some would consider divine intervention. As mentioned above Ashfaq the Pakistani player was a stand out and that enabled them to wrap up some of their games up. Some umpiring decisions that went in favour of the team were quite astounding. For example one umpire from Mele replied when questioned by the bowler after a third LBW appeal in a row was turned down "Bowler - why was that LBW decision not out, the ball was on the middle stump: Umpire - No it was on middle and leg and therefore NOT OUT". We shall see if the spirit of the Mele team can hold them together and get them through. My thoughts are that they will be lucky to win a finals match.

North Efate "Bush Pigs" are my selection for the flag. Being their first drop I do admit to be biased in this decision. Dominant performances have come from Glen "Gargantuan" Green during the season. Highlighted in the most recent rounds with a quick fire 78 including 10 big 6s. North Efate's attack is second to none in the competition. With judicious captaining and rotation of the strike bowlers it will be hard to get a big score against it. If Stafford can get through a game without calling on a runner or retiring hurt he can be expected to make a very solid contribution to a big score in the finals. Supporting batsman run down to number 11. They all say they can make a big score. However that has not been seen consistently during the season. I can say that they are all due for runs.

The boys from Tafea were troubled getting 11 players together in the 1998 season and their 1999 enthusiasm is great. They have a fine mixture of youth and experience. Apart from tearaway quick bowler Tari Seru they do not have any stand out players. Like I say all they give 110% Try, try and try when they are in a tough situation. Paama team under the astute leadership of Wai Kim Wong will be the biggest threat to North Efate. They are keen to put together back to back premier ships. The recruit of the year may well be the Australian High Commissioner. Perry Head swings the ball like a boomerang and can straight drive a ball that would fly over the stands of the MCG. Henry (8-ball) Joewangeh is in great end of season form. Put that together with the resolute approach of Greg (Grinder) Dunn and the miserly trundling of Gary (Cassius) Blake Paama must be given full respect and have a big chance.

Malapoa College has a great array of young talented players and the quickest man in the competition Patrick Haines to lead their attack.

Anything could happen when big hitting left handed keeper/batsman Richard Tatwin comes in. One young bowler Colin Qualao may not be a Shame Warne, but has done quite a bit of damage with his leggies during the year. Malapoa depends on other results with their last round bye, but if they do make the final they could surprise.

Sportspower could be the greatest team in the region, just ask them. However, they have suffered a couple of major set backs in their pursuit of the flag. Their dominent Rodd Day, the 1998 Player of the Year, had to leave the country on the eve of the finals due to business commitments. That I suspect created tears of anxiety and sorrow in the Sportspower Camp. You may not think that the loss of one player could be cataclysmic, but with the departure of Day night may have fallen over Sportspower's hopes.

There it is. If I had to bet my sheep station on the outcome it would have to be on the Bushpigs from North Efate.