An International Cricket Council representative will spend three days in Lismore this week after the city was awarded the 2014 Pepsi ICC East Asia-Pacific Men’s Trophy.
The ICC’s Laura Piekarski will check out the creases at Oakes, Heaps, Blair and Mortimer ovals, where the prestigious tournament will be played from November 17 to 27. She will also meet with key local sporting representatives and inspect accommodation and venue facilities.
The East Asia-Pacific region of the ICC has 10 developing cricket nations that include Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, Cook Islands, Japan, Republic of Korea, Indonesia and the Philippines. Final competing teams will be announced in the coming weeks with between six and nine nations expected to participate.
The event is the East Asia-Pacific regional qualifier that forms part of qualification for the ICC World Twenty20 to be staged in India in 2016. The winner of the event will be one step away from a place in India alongside the likes of Australia.
‘The ICC East Asia-Pacific is excited to be hosting our flagship men’s event in the city of Lismore’, said Kieran McMillan, the ICC’s Regional Development Manager – East Asia-Pacific.
‘We’ve heard nothing but fantastic reports about the city’s cricket facilities and ability to host successful events. This made the decision to award Lismore hosting rights to the Pepsi ICC East Asia-Pacific Trophy an easy decision for us.’
Lismore City Council Tourism Services Coordinator Mitch Lowe said it was a huge step forward for Lismore’s reputation as a sporting capital.
‘It is such a coup for us to attract a big tournament with international appeal’, he said. ‘This will be a huge economic boost to Lismore and shows we are cementing our reputation for delivering excellent facilities and friendly, country hospitality.
‘We are a cricket-loving city and we are so thrilled to have this tournament coming to Lismore. We hope it’s the first of many.’
The teams will play eight Twenty20 games (two games per day) with four teams staying on for additional one-day games during the tournament.
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