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Standing left back Rahul Patil (Manager), Liam Denny, Cory Dickson, Andrew Samuels, Hayden Dickson, Oscar Taylor, Blake Taylor (Physiotherapist), Pita Ravarua, Tiaki Wuatai. Sitting left back Ian West (Assistant Coach), Teamomua Anker, Thomas Parima, Ma’ara Ave (Captain), Milton Kavana (Vice-Captain), Jared Tutty, Aue Parima, Tomakanute Ritawa, Craig Murray (Coach). Supplied/24082030
The Cook Islands men’s cricket team got back on track in the ICC East Asia Pacific Qualifying Group A tournament with a seven-wicket win over Vanuatu in Apia, Samoa yesterday.
In the first two matches, the national team beat Vanuatu by nine wickets and Samoa by seven wickets, but on Monday they were beaten by Fiji by 104 runs.
In yesterday’s second round first match, the Cook Islands played against Vanuatu and after winning the toss, decided to bowl.
Cook Islands bowler Oscar Taylor was named the man of the match after a brilliant performance, taking five wickets and conceding just 17 runs in four overs.
Liam Denny scored two points, Jared Tutty and Andrew Samuels added one each as Vanuatu finished with a score of 9-125.
The Cook Islands started the chase with some strong hitting and despite losing opening batsmen Hayden Dickson (16) and Thomas Parima (35) as well as top batsman Oei Parima (17), the team still managed to reach the target in 16.2 overs.
Captain Ma’ara Ave scored a great knock of 44 runs in 32 balls to help the team achieve the target.
“When the going gets tough, the tough keep going. The Cook Islands bounced back in brilliant fashion to beat defending champions Vanuatu for just the second time in the tournament,” said Cook Islands manager Rahul Patil.
“The fielding was much better yesterday and the bowlers, led by Oscar Taylor, did a great job taking 5 wickets. The batsmen also did well with captain Ma’ara Ave topping the order with an unbeaten knock of 44.”
The Cook Islands will play a crucial match against Samoa tomorrow and conclude their campaign against Fiji on Friday (Cook Islands time).
Both teams have won three games each and have six points each, but Samoa has the better goal difference.
The champion of the tournament will join the East Asia and Pacific B zone champion, four Asian qualifiers, as well as Nepal, Oman and Papua New Guinea. Three of these nine teams will qualify for the 2026 T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.
Meanwhile, Darius Visser of Samoa broke the record for the highest score in a single over in Twenty20 on Monday.
The 28-year-old Sydney player blasted 39 runs in an innings against Vanuatu at Apia Gardens Oval No. 2, entering the International Cricket Council record books.
It broke the previous record by three runs, which was held by India’s Yuvraj Singh, who beat England’s Stuart Broad with six sixes on September 19, 2007 at Kingsmead, Durban.
Unfortunately, the bowler who broke one of Broad’s unwanted world records was Nalin Nipiko.
All-rounder Visser was a Penrith junior and later represented Sydney University and St George in Sydney-level cricket.
Visser started out as a fast bowler and No. 11 batsman during his teenage years but he continued to refine his skills and eventually became a leg-spinner and middle-order batsman.
Against Vanuatu, he scored 132 runs off 62 balls, including 14 sixes and five fours, and took figures of 1-29 in the 10-run win.
His mother, Lima, and father, Gerald, were also present when he broke the record.
“We are all so proud of him,” Lima Visser said. “The whole family has been watching his progress and is very excited.”
- AAP additional reporting
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