How an Australian carpenter reveled in Vanuatu's maiden T20I triumph

Peter Duffy, a carpenter and bat repairer from Melbourne, has forged a special bond with Vanuatu cricket. Their 63-run victory of the Philippines – Vanuatu's maiden win in T20I cricket – meant a great deal to him.

"Following the live scores from another country isn't like being there in person but I'm still ecstatic to know that Vanuatu have won their first ever official T20I game," Duffy told the ICC. "The whole country and all their supporters across the globe will be extremely proud of the boys. It's a small step but will mean bigger things in the future for this group as they continue to hone their skills and climb the cricket ladder."

How did a man from Melbourne come to form such a strong connection with the Vanuatu cricket team? Duffy's association began when he went to the country for a vacation back in 2015.

“I didn’t even realise at the time that they played cricket over there," he recalled. "We saw everyone playing cricket and rugby, came across some cricket nets, white balls and some locals that were training there.

"A couple of months later, I was back in Melbourne and the Vanuatu men’s team were there for a practice game before heading off for some World Cup qualifying tournaments. I dropped in to see them and got chatting with Shane Deitz, their head coach. I saw that some of their bats were in really poor condition, so I offered to repair them.

"He said, ‘Mate, we’ve got no money.’ I said that’s fine and that I would do it for nothing, I didn’t mind – as long as they put my cricket bat stickers on them," he chuckled.

Duffy soon became a common name in Vanuatu cricket circles, continuing to help them fix their bats. His connection took a special turn when he brought Clement Tommy back to Melbourne with him, helping the 21-year-old also learn a trade.

“He lived with me and played in my cricket club. His reading and writing wasn’t great," Duffy explained. "He came out of schooling at a reasonably young age, so he missed out on things all of usually have. It was difficult because I’m not a school teacher, but I've been trying to help him in this regard. He went back home for Christmas and few people said to me that after spending few months in Australia, they noticed how much he’d improved.

"It’s not just cricket, it’s a bit of experience as well. I have been trying to teach him how to repair bats as well so that he can maybe start up a business of his own when he gets back.”

Melissa Martin Fare, who plays forfor Vanu Women, told cricket.com.authat Duffy is now regarded as a local and is truly welcome in the community. "I loved that, it was really touching," responded Duffy.

"It feels like a second home to me now. It feels special. You can always donate stuff, but a lot of the times, you don’t get to meet the people. I have made some really good friends there who are always happy to see me and my family."

Vanuatu fell to a tough defeat against Papua New Guinea in the last match of the EAP Regional Final, missing out on a chance to go the global T20 World Cup Qualifiers in UAE later this year. However, cricket remains a significant part of the community in Vanuatu, and Duffy recognises what it brings to the people of the island country.

“It gives people a sense of purpose. Sport can offer a lot," he pointed out. "The job opportunities aren’t big over there ... Vanuatu Cricket Association brought in contracts for players. Not a lot of money, because they can’t afford it, but it makes a difference in their lives.

"They train every day, take school trips. Basic education is a part of their contract and it also gives them a kind of belief. I have met guys who had been struggling over the years but have found something in the sport."

Duffy's next hope for the team is to help them get used to playing on turf pitches. "The problem is, Vanuatu don’t have turf cricket. They went over to Malaysia the last time, where the wickets were low and slow – something they aren’t used to. We’re trying to get hybrid pitch into the country to give them a bit more feel of turf cricket.

"They’ve definitely got the talent, they can give anyone a run for their money when it counts. If a few things go their way in terms of structure and opportunities to get that turf experience, they can rise fast."

– by Rupin Kale