15 Oct 2016

Sport: PNG to host maiden first class match v Namibia

11:36 am on 15 October 2016

Papua New Guinea will host its maiden first class cricket match this weekend when the Barramundi's take on Namibia at Amini Park.

The home side returned home this week after finishing second in the South Australia Premier League.

PNG defeated the Netherlands in their debut Intercontinental Cup match last June before defeats against Afghanistan and Ireland.

Cricket PNG's High Performance Manager, Rarua Dikana said hosting a four-day match is another step forward for the sport.

"This is a big achievement for PNG to host a first I-Cup match in the country, which is going to be good for cricket in PNG and also good for the boys and all the cricket fans to actually see a test sort of format of cricket be played in Papua New Guinea."

He said the Barramundi's team still had a lot to learn in the longer form of the game.

"The guys are getting used to it and they've learned a lot in playing the two-day matches. We deliberately put up our last two two-day matches in the SACA League back to back - so one day between the two matches - to give the boys that learning experience in playing the longer format. They played four days in five, which is similar to what they will be up against in the I-Cup fixtures," he said.

Following the four-day match, which begins on Sunday, PNG and Namibia will play two one day international matches as part of the World Cricket League Championship.

The PNG Barramundis in training.

The PNG Barramundis in training. Photo: Cricket PNG