Queensland Country defeat EAP in first round

ICC East Asia-Pacific, looking to improve on their best ever fourth place finish in last year's carnival, has started the 2013 Australian Country Cricket Championships with a first innings loss to Queensland Country.

A new look side arrived in Bundaberg with PNG's Chris Amini taking the reigns as captain and Rarua Dikana (coach ? PNG) and Pierre Chilia (manager ? Vanuatu) leading the team. It is the first time the side has not been coached by ICC EAP's Regional Development Officer, testament to the ever improving standard of indigenous coaching in the region.

The next two weeks will see a grueling schedule of two-day, one-day and Twenty20 cricket for the region's most talented players as they take on country representative sides from Queensland, Victoria, Western Australia, South Australia, New South Wales, Northern Territory and the ACT.

Electing to bat on the opening day of the tournament in a two-day fixture against hosts Queensland Country, EAP were in early trouble losing their first five wickets with no more than 20 runs on the board. However, PNG's Lega Siaka and Vanuatu's Andrew Mansale combined for a crucial seventh wicket partnership of 87 to help take the total to a respectable 180. Siaka was the final wicket to fall for a well-crafted 91 in the 19 year-old's first match for an EAP representative team.

The EAP bowlers then found there was still life in the Bundaberg wicket in the first day's afternoon heat. Consistent length bowling from Willie Gavera and Patrick Matautaava reduced their opposition to 5-96 overnight, setting up a tight clash for day two.

Queensland Country's team talk overnight clearly worked though as the hosts chased down the first innings total with four wickets in hand just after lunch. EAP bowlers chipped away with wickets shared amongst the bowlers and eventually they ended up dismissing their opposition for 265. Assad Vala (97) and Chris Kent (24) then showed much better application in the second innings, taking EAP through to 4/174 before stumps were pulled.

The EAP side will have a rest day tomorrow to reflect as they look to put this first-up loss behind them and focus on the next two-day match against Australian Capital Territory starting Sunday 6 January. It is also a chance for PNG star Tony Ura to recover from a finger injury that ruled him out of much of today's play.

For up to date scorecards and ladders, visit MyCricket.

Short Scoreboards:

Round 1: East Asia-Pacific 180 (L Siaka 91, A Mansale 40) & 4/174 (A Vala 97, C Kent 24) lost to Queensland Country 265 on first innings