Fiji national under-19 cricket team

Fiji Under-19s
AssociationCricket Fiji
Personnel
CaptainSaimoni Tuitoga
CoachShane Jurgensen
International Cricket Council
ICC regionEast Asia-Pacific
International cricket
First internationalFiji Fiji vs. Singapore 
(Hong Kong; 30 November 1997)
As of 9 April 2016

The Fiji national under-19 cricket team represents the Republic of Fiji in international under-19 cricket. The team's first recorded match came at the 1997 Youth Asia Cup, but the majority of its matches have come in the EAP Under-19 Trophy, against other teams in the ICC East Asia-Pacific (EAP) region. Fiji won the 2015 edition of the tournament, and consequently qualified for the 2016 Under-19 World Cup, becoming the first team to qualify from the region after Papua New Guinea.

History

[edit]

Cricket has been played in Fiji since 1874, during the time of the Kingdom of Fiji, when British sailors aboard HMS Pearl introduced the sport to Levuka. It quickly became popular amongst the native Fijians, and the Fijian national side became regular visitors to Australia and New Zealand, playing a number of first-class matches. The Fiji Cricket Association gained associate membership of the International Cricket Council (ICC) in 1965, one of the first three countries to do so, along with Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) and the United States.[1]

Organised under-19 international cricket dates only from the 1970s – the first under-19 Test and One Day International (ODI) were played in 1974 and 1976, respectively,[2][3] while the first Under-19 World Cup was held in 1988.[4] The Fijian under-19 side's first recorded matches came at the 1997 Youth Asia Cup, which was part of the qualification process for the 1998 World Cup.[5] Their first game was a 134-run loss to Singapore, which was followed by nine-wicket losses to Papua New Guinea and Hong Kong.[6]

Although both Fiji and Papua New Guinea had each recently left the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) to join the recently formed ICC East Asia-Pacific (EAP) organisation, they continued to participate in ACC tournaments for several years, as few EAP tournaments had yet been organised. Fiji did not participate at the 1999 Youth Asia Cup (the qualifier for the 2000 World Cup),[7] but the following year hosted the inaugural edition of the EAP Under-19 Cricket Trophy. With Hong Kong and Papua New Guinea the only other participating teams, the tournament was played as a double round-robin, with Fiji winless from their four matches.[8] However, in Fiji's first game against Hong Kong, Colin Rika score 129 runs opening the batting, the team's first recorded century,[9] and a tournament record until surpassed by Vanuatu's Andrew Mansale at the 2007 tournament.[10]

No standalone EAP qualifying tournament was held for the 2004 and 2006 World Cups, with two EAP teams (Fiji and Papua New Guinea) instead participating in a combined tournament with African Cricket Association teams. Fiji finished last at the 2003 combined tournament, hosted by Namibia, but did win their first competitive match, defeating Tanzania by two wickets.[11] However, they had earlier lost their opening match against Kenya by 320 runs, conceding 356 runs before being bowled out for 36.[12] At the 2005 combined tournament, Fiji lost all its group matches, but defeated Nigeria by two wickets in the eighth-place playoff, having bowled them out for 46.[13]

The 2007 EAP Under-19 Trophy, the first since 2001, included Japan and Vanuatu for the first time,[14] and Fiji were consequently able to win their first match against another EAP side. In their first innings against Japan (playing only its third recorded under-19 match),[15] Fiji scored 440/8 from its 50 overs, with their captain, Josefa Rika, scoring 257 runs from 147 balls, including 37 fours and 9 sixes. They then dismissed Japan for 53 runs, winning the match by 387 runs. Sekope Biauniceva took 6/13, and both he and Rika's performances remain Fiji under-19 records.[16] A writer for ESPNcricinfo described Rika's innings as "what must rank as one of the most breathtaking knocks in the history of age-group cricket".[17]

Tournament history

[edit]

Youth Asia Cup

[edit]
  • 1997: group stages

EAP Under-19 Trophy

[edit]
  • 2001: 3rd place (3 teams) – hosts
  • 2007: 3rd place (4 teams)
  • 2009: 3rd place (5 teams)
  • 2011: 4th place (5 teams)
  • 2013: 3rd place (4 teams)
  • 2015: 1st place (4 teams)

ICC Africa/EAP Under-19 Championship

[edit]
  • 2003: 8th place (8 teams)
  • 2005: 7th place (8 teams)

ICC Under-19 World Cup

[edit]
Fiji's U19 World Cup record
Year Result Pos № Pld W L T NR
Australia 1988 Did not enter
South Africa 1998
Sri Lanka 2000
New Zealand 2002 Did not qualify
Bangladesh 2004
Sri Lanka 2006
Malaysia 2008
New Zealand 2010
Australia 2012
United Arab Emirates 2014
Bangladesh 2016 First round 16th 16 6 0 6 0 0
New Zealand 2018 Did not qualify
South Africa 2020
Total 6 0 6 0 0

Team records

[edit]
Last updated 8 February 2016.
Highest team scores
Lowest team scores
Highest individual scores
Best individual bowling performances

Current squad

[edit]
Player Date of Birth Batting Bowling style
Saimoni Tuitoga (c) (1997-04-27)27 April 1997 (aged 18) Right Right-arm medium-fast
Josaia Baleicikoibia (1997-06-30)30 June 1997 (aged 18) Right Right-arm medium
Petero Cabebula (1999-01-19)19 January 1999 (aged 17) Right Right-arm medium
Jack Charters (1999-04-20)20 April 1999 (aged 16) Right Right-arm fast
Malakai Cokovaki (1998-11-08)8 November 1998 (aged 17) Right Right-arm medium
Jordan Dunham (1997-09-12)12 September 1997 (aged 18) Right Right-arm medium
Vaibhav Kapadia (1998-02-06)6 February 1998 (aged 17) Right Right-arm off break
Delaimatuku Maraiwai (1997-05-22)22 May 1997 (aged 18) Right —
Ledua Qionivoka (1997-08-02)2 August 1997 (aged 18) Right Right-arm medium
Samuel Saunokonoko (1998-01-27)27 January 1998 (aged 18) Right —
Cakacaka Tikoisuva (1997-05-31)31 May 1997 (aged 18) Right Right-arm medium
Peni Vuniwaqa (1997-09-29)29 September 1997 (aged 18) Right Right-arm medium
Sosiceni Weleilakeba (1997-09-21)21 September 1997 (aged 18) Right Right-arm medium
Tuwai Yabaki (2000-01-01)1 January 2000 (aged 16) Right Right-arm off break

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Philip Snow (1974). "A century in the Fiji islands" – Wisden Cricketers' Almanack. Retrieved from ESPNcricinfo, 28 February 2015.
  2. ^ Records / Under-19s Youth Test matches / Team records / List of match results (by year) – ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 28 February 2015.
  3. ^ Records / Under-19s Youth One-Day Internationals / Team records / List of match results (by year) – ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 28 February 2015.
  4. ^ "The Under-19 World Cup: a brief history" – ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 28 February 2015.
  5. ^ Other matches played by Fiji Under-19s Archived 2 April 2015 at the Wayback Machine – CricketArchive. Retrieved 28 February 2015.
  6. ^ Youth Asia Cup – Hong Kong Cricket Association. Retrieved from ESPNcricinfo, 28 February 2015.
  7. ^ Youth Asia Cup 1999 Archived 16 May 2015 at the Wayback Machine – CricketArchive. Retrieved 28 February 2015.
  8. ^ East Asia-Pacific Under-19 Championship 2001/02 Table – CricketArchive. Retrieved 28 February 2015.
  9. ^ Fiji Under-19s v Hong Kong Under-19s, East Asia-Pacific Under-19 Championship 2001/02 – CricketArchive. Retrieved 28 February 2015.
  10. ^ Namibia Under-19s v Papua New Guinea Under-19s, Africa/East Asia-Pacific Under-19 Championship 2003/04 (Semi-Final) – CricketArchive. Retrieved 28 February 2015.
  11. ^ Fiji Under-19s v Tanzania Under-19s, Africa/East Asia-Pacific Under-19 Championship 2003/04 (Group B) – CricketArchive. Retrieved 28 February 2015.
  12. ^ Fiji Under-19s v Kenya Under-19s, Africa/East Asia-Pacific Under-19 Championship 2003/04 (Group B) – CricketArchive. Retrieved 1 March 2015.
  13. ^ Fiji Under-19s v Nigeria Under-19s, Africa/East Asia-Pacific Under-19 Championship 2005 (7th Place Play-off) – CricketArchive. Retrieved 1 March 2015.
  14. ^ East Asia-Pacific Championship 2007 – CricketArchive. Retrieved 1 March 2015.
  15. ^ Other matches played by Japan under-19s Archived 1 October 2015 at the Wayback Machine – CricketArchive. Retrieved 28 February 2015.
  16. ^ Fiji Under-19s v Japan Under-19s, East Asia-Pacific Under-19 Championship 2007 – CricketArchive. Retrieved 28 February 2015.
  17. ^ Sami-ul-Hasan (20 July 2007). "Fiji captain Josefa Rika hammers scintillating 257" – ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 1 March 2015.
  18. ^ a b c Fiji Under-19s v Japan Under-19s, East Asia-Pacific Under-19 Championship 2007 – CricketArchive. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
  19. ^ a b Fiji Under-19s v Hong Kong Under-19s, East Asia-Pacific Under-19 Championship 2001/02 – CricketArchive. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
  20. ^ a b Fiji Under-19s v Indonesia Under-19s, East Asia-Pacific Under-19 Championship 2010/11 – CricketArchive. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
  21. ^ Fiji Under-19s v Kenya Under-19s, Africa/East Asia-Pacific Under-19 Championship 2003/04 (Group B) – CricketArchive. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
  22. ^ Fiji Under-19s v Vanuatu Under-19s, East Asia-Pacific Under-19 Championship 2013 – CricketArchive. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
  23. ^ Fiji Under-19s v Papua New Guinea Under-19s, East Asia-Pacific Under-19 Championship 2001/02 – CricketArchive. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
  24. ^ Fiji Under-19s v Papua New Guinea Under-19s, East Asia-Pacific Under-19 Championship 2010/11 – CricketArchive. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
  25. ^ Fiji Under-19s v Tanzania Under-19s, Africa/East Asia-Pacific Under-19 Championship 2003/04 (Group B) – CricketArchive. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
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