There been many exciting things happening on the Vanuatu Cricket scene over the last few months:

• The BDO Club Championships are now in full swing and past the half way mark. North Efate, last year's premiers, in lead by the barest margin.
• The VCA has commenced its first ever junior cricket league under the sponsorship of Kraft Foods with an overwhelming response from the young kids around the capital, Port Vila.
• VCA has finished construction of the new cricket training net facility which has been exceptionally well put to use since its opening only a week ago.
• The Cricketers Club of NSW have just completed a tour to the capital where they played five games in six days.
• And preparations have begun with the Vanuatu team to participate in the Pacifica Cup that is scheduled for Auckland in February of 2001.

Details of the events follows:

1.BDO Club Championships
After 10 matches of a 16 match season the BDO Cricket League table reads as follows:-
North Efate 90 points
Mele Bulls 80 points
Sportzpowers 80 points
Malapoa College 70 points
Vanda Steelers 70 points
Lycee 60 points
Paama Sharks 50 points
Tafea 24 points
Ifira 12 points

As you can see from above the competition is hot this year. Little separates the first six teams in the competition

The VCA is looking forward to the completion of the second round of matches and a tight run-in to the final series later on in the year. There is much speculation as to whether the league table will changed dramatically between now and then.

The highlight to date of the BDO Club Championship have been a very positive entry into the competition by the new team from the Lycee which is a French Secondary School located in Port Vila. Given that half of their team have never ever played or seen cricket prior to the commencement of the season it is very encouraging to see them winning a few matches and still be a chance for the finals. Much of the credit for this must go to Pakistani import Muhammed who has brought the team together with George Adams of AVIS. The young lads are very enthusiastic and are learning more about the game of cricket as every match progresses.

The old hands of North Efate continue their good form carried over from their previous season where they ran out premiers in a very close final. There's being no major single contributor to the steady performances of North Efate this year but they have worked very well as they team together. The Mele Bulls led by the new national captain Pierre Chilia have maintain their good form throughout the year with some convincing victories. They do seem to have a small weakness at the tailend but if the top order batsmen get going the tail doesn't need to participate. They also uncovered a fine young bowler in Ian Jones who is steady and accurate with pace of bowling. The Sportzpowers boys have been spurred by some comments made by your commentator earlier in the season such as "Sportzpower are more likely to gain an invitation to the playboy mansion than they are to win many games." Looks like their chickens will come home to roost if there form continues through the later half of the season.

The young boys from Malapoa College are performing quiet creditably at this stage despite the loss of a couple of key players from the previous season including their captain Regson Regenvanu who's gone to further his academic career overseas. They have been hampered by a number of injuries to key players such as Patrick Haines who is now back and fired up and will cause problems for all teams as we run into the finals.

Vanda Steelers are enigmatic. They have got through so far with a few rather patchy performances but watch out if they all strike form together. They could be the team to beat.

Paama Sharkshave been decimated by loss of players and unavailability of key players throughout the season. Although not a tip to make the finals they will certainly sort out some of the place getters before the end of the season. The boys from Tafea are now all fired up and have been practising, practising, practising over the last week or two. They could make the a very late charge but in this commentator is view that charge will be left too late. The oldest team in the competition Ifira are languishing at the foot of the ladder and are unlikely to raise themselves up from that position until they get some new blood in for the team.

Our predictions for the final four at the end of the year are the North EFate, the Mele Bulls, Malapoa College and Lycee. We shall see!

2. New Practice Nets VCA was proud to see the new practice nets facility opened by Hon. Willie Posen the Minister of Youth and Sports just eight days ago. Since that time we have been delighted at the use being made of those nets. The kids from the surrounding schools have been in there during school time and after school and on weekends. The younger players from the BDO league have been seen honing up their skills which could put abit of pressure on and change the competition structure before the end of the year. The visiting players from the Cricketers Club of NSW used the net in preparation for a couple of matches at the Independence Park at their recent tour.

Young Kids participating in the Kraft Kanga Cricket League last Saturday morning just continually played up and down into the nets. Learning new skills and learning to appreciate better the glorious game of cricket.

3. Cricketers Club of NSW Tour The Vanuatu Cricket Association was pleased to host a tour by the Cricketers Club of NSW during the last week. This is the first tour the Cricketers Club since their successful venture to South Africa last year. In a number of hard fought games between representative teams and the club teams the Cricketers Club of NSW came out victorious with a 4-1 advantage over the local lads. Two games at the Whitesands Country Club were completed as follows:-

The Cricketers Club of NSW defeated Vanuatu President XI by one run with two balls to go on a Sunday. The tide was turned on the following Wednesday at Whitesands when a combined 11 from North Efate, Mele Bulls and Vanda Steelers teams tips the game with one ball to go on the very soft and spongey Whitesand outfield. Perhaps the closeness of the two matches out there can be attributed to the local knowledge of the Vanuatu Players. However, that should not detract from the matches. They played with great spirit and were truly enjoyable. At the faster outfield at the Independence Park the stroke makers of the Cricketers Club of NSW put themselves into a better position and run out comfortable winners in their matches although in the final match last Thursday they did get a scare when Muhammed the Pakistani import came in and knock 75 runs off 30 balls to stretch to the limit before the Cricketers Club emerged victorious.

VCA were also the beneficiaries of a number of donations from the Cricketers Club players and their supporters of cricket equipment which will be well put to use in this impoverished cricket community. VCA also received some very fine gear donated by Harry Solomons of the Kingsgrove Sports Centre. In a cricket community where many of the players can't even afford shoes any donations of this nature are very very much appreciated.

4. Kraft Kanga Cricket League The Vanuatu Cricket Association was extremely pleased with this turn out for the first day of the Kraft Cricket League last weekend. This initiative by the VCA is the first formalised cricket league for junior players that we have ever had in this country. The league has been split into two age groups. There is an 11 to 13 grouping and a 10 years and under grouping. So at Independence Park on Saturday morning around about 280 kids competed in what can only described as an historical occasion for development of cricket in Vanuatu. Playing in modified format with Kanga Cricket equipment and under the sponsorship of Kraft Foods. Picture of 250 kids scattered around the park enjoying themselves playing games of cricket. It is absolutely heartwarming. It also works as well for the future as we develop upon the interest that is currently being exhibited. The next step to take by the VCA is to try and encourage a more formal adoption of cricket into the schools program, initially through the primary schools and then permeating its way up into the high school or secondary system.

Although many of the young players exhibited some fine skills for a lot of them it was the first time that they had really picked up a battar ball. Technique was not a strong suit with them. This will be remedied over time as the young kids look and learn and get a feel of the game. With any luck the VCA will be able to appoint a development officer to visit the schools and work on skills enhancements with the young children and their mentors, the teachers and the parents. We would hope to see many of these children graduate to the senior league within the next five to six years.

5. The Pacifica Cup The VCA has made an initial identification of a number of ni-Vanuatu players who will form the core of the team to participate in the Pacifica Cup which will be sponsored by the ICC Development Program in Auckland in February 2001. Many of these young boys have only been playing cricket for a few years but have shown some good basic skills and an exceptional attitude towards the game. With the appointment of Pierre Chillia as the national captain we hope to see this group of young talented players come together and work together to form a formidable unit that will be capable of taking on the best of the other countries in the region during the Pacifica Cup tournament. The VCA is now considering the position of a national coaching team to assist the national training squad to put the skills together that will enable them to perform at a high level in what will be Vanuatu's first international competition since the 1991 South Pacific Games in Port Moresby. The players are as keen as mustard and are truly looking forward to the opportunity to pit their skills against the best of the rest in the region.

The VCA is extremely hopeful that the opportunity to participate in regional competition will encourage further the development of cricket in our country at all levels from the junior levels which is just beginning, to the senior level, from the primary schools through the secondary, into the national league.

That is all for now for Vanuatu Cricket Association.

Yours in cricket,

Silly mid off

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