PNG Lewas

Australia’s Acting High Commissioner Dr. Joanne Loundes hosted a morning tea to bid farewell the PNG Lewas team as they embark on their journey to compete in the Women's Pacific Island Cricket Challenge in Fiji.

Dr. Loundes said the High Commission was privileged to hear from Lewas Captain Kaia Arua-Boe about her experiences as an elite female athlete on the world stage.

The tournament, which will run from 11-18 March, is partially funded by Defence Australia.

The Lewas, as the national side are called, are known for their uniquely exciting playing style. 

Coach Kath Hemptenstall says the team, which includes seven mothers, has overcome significant hurdles simply to play.

"We've just got the one turf wicket in the whole country and a couple of turf nets," Hemptenstall says.

"It rains for four months of the year and we don't have any indoor facilities as well.

"When you take all that into consideration, it's pretty impressive that both our men's and women's sides have got to where they have."

The players were all eager to take the field again and represent PNG, with three players in Hollan Doriga, Melanie Ani and Kevau Frank all partaking in their first touring experience.

Although the goal of the tour was to make a long awaited return to tournament cricket and dust off a few cobwebs that had built up over the course of the past two years, the team’s performance was able to be matched against some strong opposition that featured players that have played in the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL).

The tournament started on Apr 5 to the 12 and held in Albury Wodonga, New South Wales.

The Lewas have not played international cricket for the past two and half years due the COVID-19 pandemic and are now relishing the opportunity.

The Lewas are competing against women’s teams from New South Wales Country, Cricket ACT and Queensland Country in both T20 and 50-overs format.

According to Cricket PNG’s General Manager, Tony Naidu, they are now looking at other options adding they are now in the process of organizing alternative tournaments in Australia and the Pacific shortly, for the Lewas.

Naidu said the Lewas will regroup mid for training and if all goes well, they be traveling by early January, 2022.

While there’s no women’s world cup next, there’s already ongoing meetings with ICC and Cricket Australia, including government officials to get the girls to Australia early next year for some high level tournaments.

Strength and conditioning within PNG itself is a very new concept. For the [cricket] players, it’s definitely brought up their standard and it has no doubt changed the game.

Being the first woman appointed to coach an international men’s cricket team (in the S&C department), I have certainly developed a love for this sport science.

Initially coaching the Lewas, I have now been in the role for three years and am part of the support team for the PNG Barramundis.

The former national captain passed away suddenly in Port Moresby on Wednesday September 29^th.

“The Amini family has represented Papua New Guinea with distinction – on and off the field – playing vital roles on the field, and in leadership, with an Amini captaining a Cricket PNG team becoming somewhat of a formality,” said CPNG.

In a day that culminated in the official announcement of the ICC T20 World Cup Barras squad, the final was a fitting entree.

Vala won the toss and elected to send the Legends into bat with the decision paying dividends immediately as Ura was dismissed by Bobby Diho without scoring. CJ Amini (5) was the next to go before L Siaka (14) and S Bau (16) put on a steadying partnership.

The tournament is part of the Barras and Lewas lead up preparations to the upcoming ICCT20 World Cup which will be held Oman in October and November this year.

The tournament launch coincided with the donation of a brand new Isuzu TWD ute to be used as part of the PNG Barras campaign for their historic ICCT20 World Cup appearance this year.

Their pool matches will be against Bangladesh, USA and hosts Scotland, with the top two through to the semifinals. The other pool consists of Ireland, Thailand, Netherlands and Namibia; the two teams that reach the grand final will win a place in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in Australia next year.