BARRAMUNDIS PLAY NZ IN FINAL MATCH FOR THE ICC T20 MEN’S WORLD CUP

·         STARTING BATTERS VALA, SIAKA AND HIRI BOWLED OUT WITHIN THIRD OVER

·         PNG BARRAMUNDIS

The Barramundis played their final match of the 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup today at the Brian Lara Stadium in Trinidad against a New Zealand side which has also failed to make the Super 8 stage of the event behind West Indies and Afghanistan. For the Barramundis, this match was always going to be a huge challenge, going up against a team that previously made it to the semi-final stage of the last three T20 global events.

New Zealand won the toss, and in overcast conditions, opted to put the Barras into bat, against the experienced Tim Southee, and left-armer Trent Boult, who was playing his 61st and final T20 international match for the Black Caps, taking 83 scalps in a T20 career starting back in 2013. The Barras withstood the initial onslaught but made slow progress on a difficult pitch to move to 2 wickets for 41 runs after 11 overs, struggling in particular against Lockie Ferguson who finished with the amazing bowling figures of 4 overs, 3 wickets for 0 runs.

After Ferguson struck early in the 12th over, the Barras lost another four wickets in the next five overs to be 7 wickets down for 61 runs. A short-lived 15 run partnership dominated by Norman Vanua who hit the only six of the Barras innings pushed the score to 76, but the last three wickets fell quickly to see the innings finish on 78 runs.

Throughout the T20 World Cup, bowling had been the Barras strength with the seamers taking early wickets, and once again they did the job, this time with Kabua Morea striking with his second ball to send the dangerous Finn Allen back to the pavilion for a duck. He struck again on the first ball of the fourth over of the innings, and his second, tempting the Sir Richard Hadlee Medal winner for New Zealand’s best male player of 2023, Rachin Ravindra, to hit in the air against the wind to be well caught by Sema Kamea running in from mid-wicket and see the Black Caps fall to 2 wickets for 20 runs.

However, the classy Kane Williamson then joined Devon Conway, and steadied the innings eventually finishing not out with 18 runs as New Zealand passed the Barras score for the loss of three wickets. Sema Kamea was the other successful bowler trapping Devon Conway leg before wicket for the Black Caps top score of 35 runs.

The Barra’s ended the T20 World Cup without a win but have won praise from many followers for the passion and enthusiasm they showed, especially in the near upset of the

West Indies in the first match. They now return home for a well-earned rest before starting their preparation for the 50-over ICC Challenge League to be played in Kenya in September and the opportunity to win back the ODI status they lost in early 2023.

Ends.

Further Information: Hennah Joku hjoku@cricketpng.org or WhatsApp +675 7389 4781