Squad for Centre Of Excellence announced

The 25-man Squad for the East Asia - Pacific (EAP) Squad Camp at the Commonwealth Bank Centre of Excellence (CBCE) in Brisbane from 6-17 November was announced in Melbourne today.

The EAP Squad Camp brings together the most talented cricketers from across the region and will involve intensive coaching, training and skill development under the tutelage of some of Australia's leading coaches. The two week Camp will see the EAP Squad participate in an demanding schedule of both one and two-day matches, including the first ever EAP Twenty20 match against Toowoomba.

Featuring the premier cricketers from the ICC's Associate and Affiliate countries in the East Asia - Pacific region, the squad includes 11 players from Papua New Guinea, 4 each from Fiji and Japan, 3 from the Cook Islands and 1 each from Indonesia, Tonga and Vanuatu.

The squad has been selected to attend the Camp based on their performances at country and representative level over the past 12 months while also taking into account the long term development objectives of the EAP High Performance Program.

"The recent EAP Cricket Trophy in Brisbane, along with last season's EAP Cricket Cup (Vanuatu) and Australian Country Cricket Championship (Mandurah, Western Australia) has provided players with the opportunity to shine at representative level" commented ICC EAP Development Officer Ben Oliver.

Following the Camp a 14-member team will be chosen to represent the EAP region at the Australian Country Cricket Championships (ACCC) to be staged in Mildura, Victoria in January.

"The ACCC involves the best country cricketers from around Australia" continued Mr Oliver "The standard is akin to the leading Associate countries and the experience the players will gain from both the Camp and the ACCC will contribute to their personal development, while also assisting the continuing development of cricket throughout the region."

The 2006 EAP Squad is:

Hitolo Areni (PNG), Suda Arsa (Indonesia), Inoa Baeau (PNG), Jamie Brazier (PNG), Chris Brown (Cook Islands), Tatsuro Chino (Japan), Mahuru Dai (PNG), Rarua Dikana (PNG), Dunu Eliaba (Cook Islands), Toka Gaudi (PNG), Patrick Giles-Jones (Japan), Masaaki Ito (Japan), Gimapau Keimelo (PNG), Tikoivanualevu Kida (Fiji), Masaomi Kobayashi (Japan), Simione Latu (Tonga), Andrew Mansale (Vanuatu), Neil Maxwell (Fiji), Ipi Morea (PNG), John Ovia (PNG), Josefa Rika (Fiji), Dawn Tare (Cook Islands), Kitiano Tavo (Fiji), Arua Uda (PNG), Assad Vala (PNG).