Caption: Melbourne Cricket Club players with Fiji U19 Cricket players at Lautoka Central grounds.
PRESS RELEASE
The Melbourne Cricket Club have continued to show why they are one of Australia’s premier sporting sides, when they took on the Fiji U19 representative side at the Central College grounds in Lautoka yesterday.
MCC won the toss and elected to bat first. After a shaky start and once again losing opener Michael McClean cheaply for seven, fellow opener Tristan Larter piled on 98 runs, before falling victim to the clean bowling of Cakacaka Tikoisuva on 98. Larter’s teammate, Darcy Daly, however did make it to a century, top scoring for the tourists with 106, on the way to his side being bowled out in the last over for 336.
Tikoisuva was easily the standout bowler for Fiji’s U19s, taking 4-67 off his ten overs.
After a long 50 overs in the field the Fiji U19s came out firing with the bat, with Qalo Kau (10), Manase Ravula (19), and Metuisela Beitaki (18) all contributing with some quick-fire boundaries. However, the experience of the MCC proved too strong for the young Fijian side, with the U19s being bowled out for 82 in 20.2 overs.
Will Ryan did most of the damage for the MCC with the ball, taking 4-18 off five overs.
Fiji U19s coach Joe Rika was please with his boys’ effort against such quality opposition, after backing up from their recent tour to Australia.
Similarly the MCC were impressed with the skills and fitness of Fiji’s young charges, particularly their intensity and tenacity in the field.
Both sides will have a rest day today before the MCC meet the Fiji U23 representative side on Thursday.
Meanwhile, Daniel Vettori, former New Zealand Black Caps captain, will also be joining the side at the grounds tomorrow. Daniel is in Fiji working as an ambassador of the Fred Hollows Foundation, which works in providing the restoration of sight for the needlessly blind. All activities will commence at the Central College grounds in Lautoka at 10am.