PNG will excel if included in Australia's domestic 50 over format, says Jason Gillespie

Former Australian fast bowler Jason Gillespie has urged Cricket Australia to include Papua New Guinea in future editions of Australia’s domestic men’s 50-over tournaments. Gillespie is currently the head coach of the PNG Barramundis and wants the Australian Cricket Board to give this a serious thought. Gillespie thinks such a decision will help develop cricket in the region.

Gillespie believes that Australia being the powerhouse of cricket in the region should serve their responsibility to help and improve the sport among the neighbours. “The game there is growing and developing, and with Australia being so close – we’re only a few kilometres apart at our nearest points, so they’re our closest cricket neighbours – it would be great if Cricket Australia can do as much as they can for PNG Cricket. I think it’s very important.” said Gillespie.

Papua New Guinea is a competitor in the South Australian Cricket Association’s West End Redbacks League and Gillespie says that the team has performed very well there.

What Gillespie said:

“It would be a wonderful initiative by Cricket Australia to include PNG in the domestic one-day comp,” he said. “That would be absolutely brilliant. “It’d be tough cricket, and there’d be a lot of learning, but the only way they’re going to develop is by playing consistently good levels of cricket against quality opposition. “You see when new Test nations come in, they take a while to find their feet, and we’re going to see that in the next few years with Afghanistan and Ireland. “But look at Bangladesh now – you give opportunity, and things happen.” said the Test bowling legend.

Cricket Australia recently included the ‘CA XI’ which was formed gathering the country’s best young players who could not make it into their respective state squads. And the governing body had a major role to play in conjunction with the ICC with the development of national teams within the East Asia Pacific region.

Executive General Manager of Team Performance, Pat Howard,  said that the board is focusing on teams like PNG and wishes to improve the quality of cricket and contribute to the global system.

“We are very committed to assisting nations in the pacific to help them develop talent and to continue their growth on the international stage,” Howard told cricket.com.au.

“As a leader in global game we believe we have a duty to support the international landscape of cricket and in particular the game in the region.”

“As is the case with the camps currently occurring on the Sunshine Coast, we believe PNG provides exceptional competition for our states to prepare.”

“PNG also participates very successfully in South Australia’s Premier Cricket competition and in the past we have also had several players from PNG involved in our BBL and WBBL rookie program, and we will always look at opportunities to extend this where we can.”