Media Release
The Melbourne Cricket Club (MCC) have completed a clean sweep of their tour matches in Fiji, after beating the Fiji Senior Men’s representative side at the Central College grounds in Lautoka today.
Fiji won the toss and elected to bat, with openers Colin Rika and Inoke Lesuma getting off to a solid start, before Lesuma fell victim to Jack Paynter via LBW for three. After Rika departed for 25, there was a small mid-order collapse, before Sekove Ravoke and Saimoni Tuitoga steadied the innings.
Ravoka top-scored for Fiji with 27, whilst Tuitoga finished unbeaten on 15, and after 35.3 overs, Fiji were bowled out for 129.
With the ball, Sean Sturrock was the stand out for the MCC taking 4-22 off six overs, with Paynter’s 3-26 off six also a handy contribution.
Will Ryan And LJ Edwards opened the batting for the MCC in the second innings. Although Ryan fell early for 10, Edwards smashed his was to 35, in an innings that included seven fours. After Peter Petricola was clean bowled by Kition Tavo for a duck, Darcy Daly (36 not out) joined captain Ash Middlin (29) at the crease for a handy partnership.
The MCC reached their target in 19.4 overs for the loss of five wickets, handing them a five-wicket win.
Daly was the top scorer for the MCC with an unbeaten 36, whilst Tavo starred with the ball for Fiji, taking 4-56 off his nine overs.
Cricket Fiji were delighted with the way some of their younger players, such as Saimoni Tuitoga, who played in the Under-19 and Under-23 representative sides throughout the week, stood up to earn their spot in the senior side today. Both playing against and receiving coaching clinics from the MCC players has been an invaluable experience for the squad of young players, touted to be the future of cricket in Fiji.
The MCC’s cricket development tour of Fiji will conclude with a closing function tonight, before the touring squad returns to Melbourne tomorrow.