Papua New Guinea are looking forward to a heavy diet of cricket, after more than three months away from the crease.
The Barramundis defeated Kenya in an historic home series in May but were inactive until three matches against Australian state teams earlier this month.
PNG Barramundis coach Dipak Patel. Photo: Cricket PNG
Head coach Dipak Patel said the start of another SACA League campaign in Darwin this weekend is just what they need.
"In any sport it's that momentum to be able to create that and playing regularly, so that you're always tested in any given situation."
"We needed that continuity and we weren't getting it so this period that we have got coming up (then) we've got Namibia and we've also got Hong Kong in November, so that's the sort of quality of cricket that we're striving for and we're getting it now and now it's up to the players and us to make sure that we make the most of that opportunity," he said.
"We're still learning how to win and win consistently. That's the main objective, from our perspective, is to develop not only players individually but more importantly as a squad that we learn how to win and win consistently over a long period of time."
"Playing a series of games here in the SACA League that gives us that opportunity to keep testing ourselves that it's not just a one-off win," he said.
The Barramundis are missing a couple of front-line bowlers and are still without regular skipper Jack Vare (var-aye), who is continuing rehabilitation from a torn ACL.
PNG take on the Eastern Edge this afternoon in their opening one-day match and back up tomorrow against Southern Force.
The PNG Barramundis in training. Photo: Cricket PNG
