The Ono-I-Lau cricket team that recently arrived in Suva to contest this year’s Crompton Cup received a major boost yesterday, receiving a donation of $3000 worth of cricket equipment from Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama.
Addressing the members of the Ono-I-Lau team at Albert Park yesterday, Bainimarama urged the players to play to the best of their ability in the Lau Conference qualifiers that begin next week, and hopefully progress through the to main event; the 2014 Easter Tournament.
Interim Ono-I-Lau captain, Tomu Tuiloma, who received the equipment with gratitude and traditional thanksgiving in return to the Prime Minister, accepted the donation.
Cricket Fiji’s Development Manager, Saiasi Fuli, said the donation was crucial to the Ono-I-Lau team’s chances in this year’s Easter Tournament, as with their island being so far away from Viti Levu, they did not have time to get the boat to make it for next week’s qualifiers.
“Cricket Fiji organised a flight for the Ono team,” Fuli explained, “but the plane was too small for them to bring anything besides their personal gear, therefore it was a life saver for the team that the Prime Minister agreed to donate their equipment for the competition.”
The Lau Conference qualifiers will be staged at Albert Park in Suva for the entirety of next week, with the top three sides qualifying for the Fiji’s premier cricket tournament, to be held over the Easter long weekend.
MEDIA RELEASE