Keeping an eye on their maiden appearance in a men’s T20 World Cup in India in 2021, Cricket PNG have started their preparations by hosting the Curtain Brothers Men’s T20 Smash at Amini Park. The T20 tournament follows after the conclusion of the 50-overs Isuzu National Cup competition, which marked the resumption of domestic cricket in Papua New Guinea.
Cricket PNG CEO Greg Campbell said at the opening day of the tournament “The men are quickly back into 20 over cricket after a quick break from the 50 over National Cup. It’s a shame we won’t be going to Australia in a month’s time for the T20 World Cup, but there is still an opportunity for someone to put their hand up in this tournament for the 2021 World Cup squad as we build to the T20 World Cup in India.”
The T20 Smash competition sees four teams competing for the trophy, namely Hastings Deering Black Bass, Toyota Cassowaries, ODG Electrical Mariners and TrakPro MudMen. All the teams played each other twice in a double round-robin group stage format, at the conclusion of which, the Toyota Cassowaries have finished on top of the points table and had to rely on a better run-rate to edge past Hastings Deering Black Bass and TrackPro MudMen, as all the three teams finished on same points after registering four wins from their six group stage matches.
The Finals day on Sep 11th will see Hastings Deering Black Bass and TrackPro MudMen play each other in the play-off game in the morning for a berth in the Grand Final against the Toyota Cassowaries. The group stage matches saw impressive performances from the Barramundis national squad members like Kipling Doriga, Assad Vala, Charles Amini Jr, Sese Bau, Lega Siaka, Norman Vanua, Nosaina Pokana and Hiri Hiri, while the competition also saw notable performances from players in the domestic circuit like Savaki Gebai, Daurie Lohia, Kabua Vagi Morea, Eddie Alewa, Raho Sam and others.
PNG Barramundis national captain Assad Vala registered the only century scored in the T20 smash competition, while Nosaina Pokana being the sole bowler to have taken a 5-wicket haul in an innings.
The competition has provided head coach Joe Dawes the opportunity to look at the bench-strength for the Barramundis and mark out few players, who he would like to see playing for the national squad in the next 12-months build-up to the World Cup. Dawes said on the prospects of the Finals day “The Cassowaries hold a slight advantage, but anyone can win on Friday afternoon”.
Curtain Brothers Men’s T20 Smash Brief Scores
Mariners 102/8 in 20 overs (Kevau Donald 22, Simon Atai 16, Guba Seuba 16, Damien Ravu 2/12, Charles Amini Jr 2/14, Toua Gamu 2/14) lost to Black Bass 103/3 in 15 overs (Kipling Doriga 57 n.o) by 7 wickets
Cassowaries 130/4 in 20 overs (Riley Hekure 40 n.o, Tony Ura 36, Raho Sam 24, Jason Kila 2/13, Gaudi Toka 1/22) beat MudMen 113 all out in 19 overs (Norman Vanua 34, Gaudi Toka 23, Hiri Hiri 19, Nosaina Pokana 5 wickets, Eddie Alewa 2/17) by 17 runs
Mariners 62 all out in 19 overs (Vagi Boko 13 n.o, John Reva 12, Eddie Alewa 3/4, Michael Charli 2/6, Nosaina Pokana 2/7) lost to Carrowaries 63/3 in 7 overs (Tony Ura 21, Vani Vagi Morea 11, John Reva 3 wickets) by 7 wickets
MudMen 148/7 in 20 overs (Gaudi Toka 55, Norman Vanua 29, Dogodo Bau 23, Nosaina Pokana 1/37) beat Cassowaries 89 all out in 13 overs (Nigani Heni 24 n.o, Norman Vanua 2/7, Kabua Vagi Morea 2/18, Daurie Lohia 2/18, Hiri Hiri 1/7, Jason Kila 1/13) by 59 runs
Cassowaries 171/8 in 20 overs (Vani Vagi Morea 79, Tony Ura 46, Sese Bau 23, Charles Amini Jr 3/30) beat Black Bass 126/7 in 20 overs (Bobby Diho 37, Mavara Hekure 30 n.o, Charles Amini Jr 26, Riley Hekure 2/26, Nosaina Pokana 2/34, Eddie Alewa 1/10, Raho Sam 1/13, Sese Bau 1/19) by 45 runs
MudMen 148 all out in 19 overs (Gaudi Toka 40, Lega Siaka 30, Dogodo Bau 23, Damien Ravu 4/18) beat Black Bass 133/9 in 20 overs (Steven Eno 26, Bobby Diho 25, Damien Ravu 19, Kabua Vagi Morea 4/22, Norman Vanua 2/29) by 15 runs
Cassowaries 139/8 in 20 overs (Tony Ura 31, Raho Sam 21, Nosaina Pokana 18 n.o, Savaki Gebai 3/17, Gari Dairi 2/16, Charles Amini Jr 1/18) lost to Black Bass 140/4 in 19 overs (Kipling Doriga 64, Steven Eno 49) by 6 wickets
Mariners 100 all out in 18 overs (Kevin Griffin 24 n.o, Daurie Lohia 3/9, Kabua Vagi Morea 2/6) lost to MudMen 101/4 (Lega Siaka 43, Hiri Hiri 30, Assad Vala 2/10) by 6 wickets
MudMen 140/9 in 20 overs (Gaudi Toka 38, Norman Vanua 30, Jason Kila 18, Charles Amini Jr 2/25, Gari Dairi 1/12) lost to Black Bass 141/7 in 19 overs (Charles Amini Jr 44 n.o, Steven Eno 29, Kipling Doriga 18, Lega Tau 17, Norman Vanua 3/20) by 3 wickets
Mariners 178/6 in 20 overs (Assad Vala 106, Willie Vagi 29) lost to MudMen 179/4 in 18 overs (Lega Siaka 76, Hiri Hiri 56 n.o, Gaudi Toka 23, Assad Vala 2/25) by 6 wickets
Black Bass 148/9 in 20 overs (Kipling Doriga 50, Damien Ravu 32, Assad Vala 4/10, Sema Kamea 3/28) beat Mariners 99 all out in 17 overs (Assad Vala 32, Savaki Gebai 4/16, Charles Amini Jr 2/9, Timothy Mou 2/24) by 49 runs
Mariners 100 all out (Willie Vagi 23, Nosaina Pokana 4/11, Michael Charles 2/27, Raho Sam 1/4, Riley Hekure 1/14, Eddie Alewa 1/15) lost to Cassowaries 101/2 in 10 overs (Tony Ura 54, Raho Sam 32 n.o) by 8 wickets
