22 Dec 2012

Sport: Pacific stars ready to shine at Country cricket champs

10:18 am on 22 December 2012

The East Asia Pacific side will have no shortage of match-winners at next month's Australian Country Cricket Championships.

The team, which is comprised of players from Vanuatu, Samoa and Papua New Guinea, finished fourth at January's 2012 edition, winning a team-best three matches.

The EAP Regional Development Officer, Tom Evans, says the team is bursting with individual talent ready to stamp their mark.

"Obviously Assad, who's in good form with the bat. Charles Amini he's a young spinner and sort of explosive player from PNG as well who's got loads of ability. Tiafala Alatasi, it's his first tournament, he's a Samoan guy he's pretty raw but a big tall fast bowler, but Willie Gavera's probably the big one in terms of fast bowlers. He took six for not many in his first game last year and then unfortunately strained his side so if he can show the form he showed in that first game last year, he could be the key I think for us."

The EAP squad flies into Australia next week and will spend a couple of days training in Brisbane before heading to Bundaberg.