Papua New Guinea cricket coach Gleeson in confident mood after second victory

ICC Media Release
25 January 2009

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Coach Martin Gleeson said that his PNG side was in a confident mood after recording a dramatic win over Argentina by 21 runs.

The victory left PNG level on points with Uganda, with both sides achieving victories from their opening two games.

“With the first break in the tournament with tomorrow’s rest day, it is nice to go in with two wins from two matches,” said Gleeson.

“Today was a very hard match and we didn’t play well but we still got the win.”

Gleeson admitted that he was worried when a dramatic collapse saw PNG lose ten wickets for less than fifty runs, after Vani Vagi Morea’s 39 had helped his side to an excellent opening stand.

“The game really turned on its head in the first innings. We got off to a flyer and looked set for a big score but some poor decision-making from a couple of our batters put us in a difficult position. Argentina bowled and fielded well and put some pressure on us,” said Gleeson.

The PNG coach also paid tribute to Rarua Dikana, who recorded his second five-wicket haul of the tournament, with amazing figures of 5-5.

“He bowls to a simple game plan and it is something which we have worked really hard on and Jamie Brazier kept it very tight at the other end as well,” said Gleeson

Papua New Guinea will face a top of the table clash against Uganda at Belgrano on Tuesday (Wednesday PNG time).