Big guns to pick new national team

Passion, skills and fitness are the three key components selectors of the national women’s cricket team will be looking for in players that trial for the national squad.

The selection panel has been put together based on their experiences as elite athletes, experience in identifying potential in athletes and their passion for the game of cricket.

The panel is made up of five people from across the Cook Islands to reflect the unity and national pride that the sport has created across all the islands.

The women’s national cricket squad selection panel includes former national netballer and elite athlete Selina Napa, passionate cricket players Sabine Janneck and Piakura Rupe as well as Teata Atariano of Mauke and Taui Nooroa of Mangaia.

Napa is confident that the Cook Islands has the talent to form a strong national women’s cricket squad to represent the country at the East Asia-Pacific tournament in Vanuatu in May.

“The natural talent is out there we just have to take that through and spruce up the skills,” says Napa.

“We have a whole lot of talented women who have taken up cricket and are enthusiastic about the sport.”

Napa would like to thank Cook Islands Cricket for giving the panel of selectors the opportunity to test their own skills in identifying talent and selecting a national squad.

“It’s going to be a great challenge,” says Napa.

For Janneck, a passionate cricketer from Arorangi and current manager of the Titikaveka-Puaikura domestic league team – being named on the selection panel is an honour.

“I’m absolutely honoured to be part of this national selection panel – you can’t measure what that means to me,” says Janneck.

The first gathering of hopeful national women squad members will be on March 1 for a fitness test and training session.

Trial cricket matches will be staged after the fitness test where East Asia-Pacific high performance coach Tom Evans observe the trials and be part of the selection panel.

A squad of 20 will be initially selected for training before a final squad of 14 is confirmed to represent the Cook Islands in Vanuatu.

Currently a women’s head coach is yet to be confirmed however there is a shortlist of high calibre coaches which includes past and current White Fern players.

Once the head coach is confirmed – they will travel to Rarotonga to train the women’s squad and tour with them to Vanuatu.