Kamlesh Barjati
Banned
- Joined
- 26 May 2011
- Messages
- 1,087
- Reaction score
- 31
Assad Vala has become the first PNG player to make a century on the turf wickets of either Amini Park or Colts Cricket Ground since the pitches were launched on 23 July 2010. His 116 off just 59 balls against Japan was the highlight on a day of one-sided results at the Pepsi ICC East-Asia Pacific Division 1.
PNG continued their dominance with easy wins over Fiji and Japan, whilst Vanuatu also had a good day with victories over Japan and Samoa.
In the morning match on Amini Park PNG were not their usual fluent self early on against Fiji thanks to a terrific spell of bowling from Mohammad Khan that had the hosts in trouble at 4-63. However a magnificent 61 that included four 4s and four 6s from Mahuru Dai steadied the ship for the Barramundi's who went on to post 9-152 from their 20 overs.
Fiji threw everything they could at the PNG bowlers and kept their run rate on target for the majority of the chase. Unfortunately however they were not able to put together enough long partnerships to pose any real threat and were eventually bowled out after 18 overs for 108. Iniasi Cakacaka was the best of the batsman for Fiji with a quick fire 38 while for PNG Jason Kila claimed 4-17.
On Colts Cricket Ground Vanuatu snared their first win with an easy 6 wicket victory over Japan. Set just 110 for victory Laz Carlot, Lenica Natapei and Simpson Obed made light work of the Japanese bowlers to pass the total with 6 wickets and 6.1 overs to spare. For Japan Naoki Miyaji showed he is still a crucial player in the Japanese attack top scoring for this side with 25 runs.
In the afternoon Vanuatu showed the first real sign of potential that their young players possess by piling on a staggering 185 runs with the loss of only 3 wickets from their 20 overs against Samoa. Andrew Mansale (85 not out) and Simpson Obed led the way with 18 4s and five 6s between them in a 151 run partnership off just 91 balls.
In reply Samoa nearly pulled off the impossible after Ben Mailata (98 not out) and Murphy Sua (31) put a number of balls on top of the grandstand much to the delight of the vocal crowd in attendance. Throughout the chase the total always seemed marginally out of reach until an eight over period in the latter stages of the innings that brought 91 runs and gave the Samoans more than a sniff of victory.
However with the loss of Sua the total was too much for Mailata to overhaul on his own and they fell 5 runs short.
"This was a huge moment for us as a team as never before has Vanuatu beaten Samoa in the T20 format of the game," said one of Vanuatu's stars Simpson Obed. "We know we are a chance to meet them again in the semifinals and now we have a better idea of how to approach them if we are to be successful again."
Despite the heroics of players from both sides on Amini Park, they were somewhat overshadowed by a batting display on Colts Cricket Ground that will be remembered for years to come by those in attendance.
Assad Vala's 116 run demolition of Japan included a massive 14 4s and five 6s leaving his coach Andy Bichel proud of his player.
"For me as a coach it is fantastic as I've shown a lot of faith in him in recent times and to see him score 100 today was very pleasing," said Bichel.
In the end PNG finished with an insurmountable total of 3-225 off their 20 overs and Japan could only manage 8-79 in reply. But the story of the match was Vala who says he will cherish the moment for the rest of his life.
"It is a privilege to score the first century on turf in PNG," said Vala. "I was having a competition with Tony (Ura) to score the first one so it was great to get it."
Tomorrow matches will begin at 10am local time. Fixture below.
10am Amini Park - Japan v Samoa
10 am Colts Cricket Ground - Vanuatu v Fiji
2pm 1 v 4
2 pm 2 v 3
Brief scores:
At Amini Park: PNG 9-152, 20 overs (M Dai 61, A Vala 40; V Nailolo 3-13)
Fiji 10-108, 18.0 overs (I Cakacaka 38; J Kila 4-17)
PNG won by 44 runs
At Colts Cricket Ground: Japan 7-109, 20.0 overs (NA Miyaji 25; M Nimoho 2-18)
Vanuatu 4-113, 13.5 overs (L Carlot 44, S Obed 25; M Kobayashi 3-27)
Vanuatu won by 6 wickets
At Amini Park: Vanuatu 3-185, 20 overs (A Mansale 85 not out, S Obed 71)
Samoa 5-180, 20.0 overs (B Mailata 98 not out, M Sua 31; A Mansale 2-23)
Vanuatu won by 5 runs
At Colts Cricket Ground: PNG 3-225, 20.0 overs (A Vala 116, T Ura 53; NA Miyaji 2-53)
Japan 8-79, 20.0 overs (K Irie 23; J Reva 3-20, Morea 2-12)
PNG won by 146 runs
http://icc-cricket.yahoo.net/newsdetails.php?newsId=16168_1309859460
PNG continued their dominance with easy wins over Fiji and Japan, whilst Vanuatu also had a good day with victories over Japan and Samoa.
In the morning match on Amini Park PNG were not their usual fluent self early on against Fiji thanks to a terrific spell of bowling from Mohammad Khan that had the hosts in trouble at 4-63. However a magnificent 61 that included four 4s and four 6s from Mahuru Dai steadied the ship for the Barramundi's who went on to post 9-152 from their 20 overs.
Fiji threw everything they could at the PNG bowlers and kept their run rate on target for the majority of the chase. Unfortunately however they were not able to put together enough long partnerships to pose any real threat and were eventually bowled out after 18 overs for 108. Iniasi Cakacaka was the best of the batsman for Fiji with a quick fire 38 while for PNG Jason Kila claimed 4-17.
On Colts Cricket Ground Vanuatu snared their first win with an easy 6 wicket victory over Japan. Set just 110 for victory Laz Carlot, Lenica Natapei and Simpson Obed made light work of the Japanese bowlers to pass the total with 6 wickets and 6.1 overs to spare. For Japan Naoki Miyaji showed he is still a crucial player in the Japanese attack top scoring for this side with 25 runs.
In the afternoon Vanuatu showed the first real sign of potential that their young players possess by piling on a staggering 185 runs with the loss of only 3 wickets from their 20 overs against Samoa. Andrew Mansale (85 not out) and Simpson Obed led the way with 18 4s and five 6s between them in a 151 run partnership off just 91 balls.
In reply Samoa nearly pulled off the impossible after Ben Mailata (98 not out) and Murphy Sua (31) put a number of balls on top of the grandstand much to the delight of the vocal crowd in attendance. Throughout the chase the total always seemed marginally out of reach until an eight over period in the latter stages of the innings that brought 91 runs and gave the Samoans more than a sniff of victory.
However with the loss of Sua the total was too much for Mailata to overhaul on his own and they fell 5 runs short.
"This was a huge moment for us as a team as never before has Vanuatu beaten Samoa in the T20 format of the game," said one of Vanuatu's stars Simpson Obed. "We know we are a chance to meet them again in the semifinals and now we have a better idea of how to approach them if we are to be successful again."
Despite the heroics of players from both sides on Amini Park, they were somewhat overshadowed by a batting display on Colts Cricket Ground that will be remembered for years to come by those in attendance.
Assad Vala's 116 run demolition of Japan included a massive 14 4s and five 6s leaving his coach Andy Bichel proud of his player.
"For me as a coach it is fantastic as I've shown a lot of faith in him in recent times and to see him score 100 today was very pleasing," said Bichel.
In the end PNG finished with an insurmountable total of 3-225 off their 20 overs and Japan could only manage 8-79 in reply. But the story of the match was Vala who says he will cherish the moment for the rest of his life.
"It is a privilege to score the first century on turf in PNG," said Vala. "I was having a competition with Tony (Ura) to score the first one so it was great to get it."
Tomorrow matches will begin at 10am local time. Fixture below.
10am Amini Park - Japan v Samoa
10 am Colts Cricket Ground - Vanuatu v Fiji
2pm 1 v 4
2 pm 2 v 3
Brief scores:
At Amini Park: PNG 9-152, 20 overs (M Dai 61, A Vala 40; V Nailolo 3-13)
Fiji 10-108, 18.0 overs (I Cakacaka 38; J Kila 4-17)
PNG won by 44 runs
At Colts Cricket Ground: Japan 7-109, 20.0 overs (NA Miyaji 25; M Nimoho 2-18)
Vanuatu 4-113, 13.5 overs (L Carlot 44, S Obed 25; M Kobayashi 3-27)
Vanuatu won by 6 wickets
At Amini Park: Vanuatu 3-185, 20 overs (A Mansale 85 not out, S Obed 71)
Samoa 5-180, 20.0 overs (B Mailata 98 not out, M Sua 31; A Mansale 2-23)
Vanuatu won by 5 runs
At Colts Cricket Ground: PNG 3-225, 20.0 overs (A Vala 116, T Ura 53; NA Miyaji 2-53)
Japan 8-79, 20.0 overs (K Irie 23; J Reva 3-20, Morea 2-12)
PNG won by 146 runs
http://icc-cricket.yahoo.net/newsdetails.php?newsId=16168_1309859460
