Vanuatu to host 2007 ICC EAP U19 World Cup Qualifier
The International Cricket Council (ICC) East Asia - Pacific (EAP) office today announced that the Vanuatu Cricket Association will host the 2007 ICC EAP U19 World Cup Qualifier in Port Vila, Vanuatu next July
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Participants in this tournament include Fiji, Indonesia, Japan, Papua New Guinea and tournament hosts Vanuatu, with the winner earning direct entry to the 2008 Under 19 World Cup.
ICC EAP Regional Development Manager, Mr Matt Weisheit reported "We are delighted that Vanuatu will be hosting this significant ICC East Asia - Pacific U19 tournament in July 2007. For Vanuatu, this follows the successful staging of the 2005 EAP Cricket Cup tournament and we see this tournament as building on the progress Vanuatu is making in terms of cricket development both on and off the field"
"With the winner of this EAP tournament progressing directly to the U19 Cricket World Cup means that this will be a hotly contested tournament. The lure of participating in a World Cup will provide significant motivation for the Countries involved and as such this is one of the major tournaments on the 2007 EAP Cricket Calendar".
"Furthermore, this tournament will provide a great opportunity to enhance the profile and exposure of the sport in Vanuatu and also help build valuable government and corporate relationships. Bringing in Countries from the EAP region for a tournament that has Under 19 World Cup significance ensures there will be extensive media coverage" added Mr Weisheit.
Vanuatu Cricket Association (VCA) President, Mr Mark Stafford, confirms that this will provide a valuable boost for the growth of the sport in Vanuatu.
Mr Stafford stated "We have focussed on developing our junior cricket programs and structures, and hosting the ICC EAP U19's World Cup qualifier complements our ambitions to cultivate a strong junior base. This will provide us an opportunity to improve our ability to compete internationally and also promote the sport locally".
"We do expect to perform well at this tournament, Papua New Guinea is probably the benchmark, but in recent times we have recorded strong performances in the junior age groups. We have a good group of players coming through including two of our U19 players, Andrew Mansale and Trevor Langa, who are heading to the Cricket Australia Centre of Excellence next week with the EAP senior squad for 2 weeks of intense training and skill development.
"It is imperative that we secure government and corporate support for this tournament, as there are a number of areas that Vanuatu cricket needs to improve in. Besides, the importance of a strong on-field performance, it is also necessary for us to improve our facilities and enhance our reputation as a well organised cricket organisation, to achieve this we need community involvement and support" added Mr Stafford.
With 5 teams expected to participate, the tournament will run for seven days in mid-July 2007 and confirmed dates will be announced once finalised.