For the two groups of players from East Asia Pacific
currently based in Brisbane on an ICC-funded academy programme, it is anything
but. These young guns from all around the region – including Samoa, Vanuatu,
Indonesia, Fiji and Japan – have serious hopes of improving cricket both
personally and throughout their countries.
As part of an invitational XI, we play a game against the
EAP 1st XI and two against the region’s emerging and talented
players.
The first, a Twenty20 against the region’s strongest
players, took place on a sweltering day at the Sunshine Coast Scorchers’ home
ground. Having celebrated the previous day’s exploits (see below – Ton up,
boy..) on a suitably large scale, bedraggled and dehydrated I made my way
out to field for our Scorchers side. Luckily my two overs were not mercilessly
belted by the big Vanuatan international batsman and I was largely uncalled
upon in the field. The shade was then a comforting solace as I watched our
batsmen chase EAP’s 110 with an over to spare, fellow Pom Henry Thompson ending
with a solid 49 not out.
Next up was the region’s emerging talent who, batting
first in another Twenty20, managed a solid 115, Japan and Vanuatu
internationals combining for an 80 run stand. This time our batsmen struggled
against the spin of a cunning twirler from the Cook Islands and suddenly we
were 75 for 6. Step up to the plate nudger Johnson and smasher Trudgeon (a
Cornish Pom), combining to take the Aussies home with five balls to spare.
Finally, a One Day International was scheduled at Brisbane
Grammar – coloured kits, white balls, powerplays, free-hits – the lot. Going
for the throat in setting attacking fields with the hope of either a quick game
or a good chance for a big chase, Spud Murphy rotated his part-time,
Sehwag-style bowlers to ill-effect as a bright start (in which yours truly’s
military mediums inconceivably picked up the wickets of Vanuatu, Japanese and
Indonesian internationals) was soon turned on its head.
Samoa’s big Pritchard Pritchard (yes, that’s his name)
belted an immense 135 from 99 balls. Unsurprisingly, it was not the most
orthodox or classical of knocks, but boy, could he hit the ball.
In the closing overs my seamers were called upon again, and
young Pritchard holed out to long on in trying to add to his six massive sixes.
Smelling a maiden international five-fer, a renewed sense of energy helped me
roar in with an added purpose. With two balls left in the penultimate over, a
massive appeal for leg-before did for the unfortunate Cook Islands batsman, my
career best 5 for 41 earning me the battered white match ball.
With EAP amassing a sizeable 281, our effort fell 15 short
despite Lachlan’s hundred and Thompson’s 68 in a real hum-dinger of a contest.
For EAP, their tour finished with a win for the players to cherish in their
home countries as a sign that the cricketing world deserves to develop outside
its traditional colonial roots.
Photo from above game:
http://pic.twitter.com/grnCIVUJ
The ICC’s report of the game is here:
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