2010.07.22 22:22:57

ACST

The ACST Phuket Junior Cricket Development Fund (PJCDF) has donated 43,000 baht (approx US$1,530) to support the Phuket Under 15 teams tour and participation in the 4th Kuala Lumpur Cricket Assoc / Royal Selangor Club International Youth Under 15 Cricket Carnival tournament being held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (July 30 - August 1).

This is the first donation made by the Fund which was set up earlier this year to support junior cricket development in Phuket with funds donated by participants of the Phuket International Cricket Sixes.

The Phuket U15 side is made up of young Thai players many of whom compete in the local Phuket league and played at the Phuket Sixes this year for the first time.

In 2008 the Phuket Under 15s made their first venture to this international tournament, encouragingly winning one match from three.


About the ACST Phuket Junior Cricket Development Fund - (www.phuketsixes.com/organiser.php)
The Phuket Junior Cricket Development Fund was created earlier this year to support junior cricket development in Phuket with funds generously donated and contributed by players, teams, supporters and officials participating at ACST's Phuket International Cricket Sixes. Some 130,000 baht (approx US$4,000) was raised for junior cricket at the tournament by activities organised by ACST. Teams also donated cricket equipment to local junior players. The Fund Committee includes representatives from the Sixes teams, a senior Phuket cricket volunteer and the ACST. The donation of 43,000 baht to the Phuket Cricket Group for this junior tour is the first of what is hoped to be many such donations to help junior cricket grow in Phuket.

About the Phuket International Cricket Sixes - (www.phuketsixes.com)
This ICC award winning, "fun in the sun" tournament, is the most popular on the ACST circuit. Matches are played at Karon Stadium quite literally just a 6 hit away from tropical Karon Beach and the Andaman Sea. The family friendly tournament epitomises the 'friendship through cricket" motto of the ACST and is often one of the most enjoyable cricketing experiences the teams and officials ever have in their cricket careers. Phuket is a paradise for enjoyment in addition to the cricket with top restaurants, golf, scuba diving and deep sea fishing all available in addition to the incredible nightlife. Funds are raised at the event towards the development of junior cricket in Phuket. The 2011 tournament will be held from 12 - 17th April.

About the Asian Cricket Sixes Tour (ACST) - (www.cricketsixes.com)
The Asian Cricket Sixes Tour organises and promotes international award winning club cricket events at fantastic locations across Asia Pacific. Founded in 2000 with just one event, the annual Tour now comprises of tournaments at locations across the region including Phuket, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Singapore, New South Wales, Pattaya, Shanghai, and Chiang Mai. The tournaments, which attract clubs and cricket celebrities from around the world and have won major awards from the International Cricket Council and Asian Cricket Council, have a core philosophy of 'friendship through cricket'; they also raise funds and attract practical support for cricket development and local charities in their locations. At ACST tournaments teams can be sure of a fantastic and rewarding overseas tour


For further information contact Mark Burns at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

2010.07.21 01:06:26

Shane Manawatu

With State of Origin now well behind us NRL teams should have their rep players back and we are ready to get down to the nitty gritty end of the season. With seven rounds still to go the top eight for the play offs is still wide open. There are at least 14 teams who will have the belief that they can still make it. The Illawarra Dragons head the table as they have for most of the season by four points but just 12 points separate 2^nd to 14^th.

However the Cronulla Sharks have lost their last three and really don’t have the goods to make it much further up the ladder. Things have also taken a nasty turn for them as coach Ricky Stuart has just walked out on them stating it is the best thing for the team and himself and with that I believe they may stay in 14^th. The Queensland Cowboys have failed to live up to expectations and even with perhaps the best player in the world Jonathan Thurston and the signing of big Willie Mason I think they will continue to languish in second last spot at 15^th. They would be my pick for the wooden spoon right now but the Melbourne Storm has that title well sewn up.

13^th placed Canterbury Bulldogs have shown too much inconsistency I think to advance any further from that position. So for the Sharks, Cowboys, Bulldogs and of course the Storm their hopes of play off spots are pretty much gone.

Because we are now at the exciting end of the round robin I would like to do a preview of the games ahead each week. Feel free to leave your own comments or selections each week.

The first match this weekend see’s the 7^th placed Brisbane Bronco’s take on a resurgent  4^th placed Sydney City Roosters. The Bronco’s have had an up and down season whilst the Roosters have won their last 4 out of 5 and their last three in a row. This is the first of five great match ups this weekend which I think will go the way of the Bronco’s purely because they are at home and that is where they have won most of their games this season.

The 11^th placed Canberra Raiders are at home to the Sharks. The Raiders have been on fire in their last two and put on a 50 point drubbing of the Newcastle Knights last weekend. Maybe not such a big score this weekend but more of the same should see them get home comfortably.

The Bulldogs in 13th host the Parramatta Eels who through the brilliance of Jarrod Hayne have started a comeback after a dreadful beginning to their season to land up in 10^th place just two points outside the top eight. This could prove to be a ding donger of a game but if Hayne, Hindmarsh and Inu fire again they should get an away win here.

In the second big match up this weekend the 6^th placed Manly Sea Eagles play at home to the 3^rd placed Wests Tigers. Manly have only won two of their last five where as the Tigers have won four and their last three in a row. The Tigers seem to chase down teams after letting them get a start on them and I think if they let that happen again this weekend they might be in strife. Manly are always very hard at home but I think if the Tigers get a better start they will come away with the win. Expect this to be a game that will be held in the balance to the end. Tigers to win.

The Storm never fails to put on a show and hosting the 2^nd placed Penrith Panthers I’m sure they won’t disappoint. The wheels seem to be falling off the Panthers wagon of late and they are going to be up against a Storm team that was bashed up by the Warriors and the New Zealand based team’s fans at Mount Smart Stadium last weekend. Back at home I think the Storm is about to unleash some fury from that encounter on whoever is unlucky enough to turn up in Melbourne this weekend and unfortunately for the Panthers their it. Storm to win and it will be a great match to watch.

15^th placed Cowboys take on the 12^th placed Knights. Neither team deserve to be in or will be in the top eight. This is the ho hum game of the round for me. Cowboys, purely because their at home, to get an elusive win.

The match of the round for me see’s the 9^th placed South Sydney Rabbitohs play host’s to the 5^th placed NZ Warriors. The bunnies have fallen out of the top eight after promising so much in the early rounds losing four of their last five. However you can never take them lightly as they have a reputation not too dissimilar to that of the Warriors as being very unpredictable. In stark contrast to the bunny’s demise of late is the Warriors new found belief in themselves. They are the only team in the comp to have won their last five. Their defensive efforts have been extraordinary, something the club has never really seen before. That defence will have to be evident again this weekend as the bunnies like to throw the ball around. This will be a very close game with the Warriors coming out on top for their 6^th straight win and a place in the top four.

Top of the table Dragons host 8^th placed Titans and should maintain their winning ways. They have only lost one of their last four where as the Titans have lost their last three in a row and after looking like contenders for the minor premiership have all but dropped out of the top eight. Dragon’s at home and just on pure class should wrap the final game of the round up very comfortably.

So there you have my first preview for the final few rounds. Please feel free to put your two bobs worth in and let’s start this exciting countdown to the playoffs together.

Shane Manawatu

Freelance Journalist

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

2010.07.07 17:59:00

Shane Manawatu

It’s been an interesting few weeks in sport. Firstly, congratulations to the All White’s and their achievements at the World Cup. I’m not a soccer fan by any stretch of the imagination in fact I liken it to watching grass grow. However, it was no mean feat for the All White’s to make it to the final stages of the cup let alone not be beaten. At the very least I would expect a couple or three careers to sky rocket from their results especially coach Ricki Herbert’s.

The official signing of Sonny-Bill to Canterbury and the Crusader’s really came as no surprise. I mean come on, when you have the pick of any franchise in NZ why wouldn’t you pick the most successful to help advance your career. As for having to play his way into the AB’s, rubbish! There is no way the powers that be went to all this trouble if they didn’t have him penned in already. It would more likely be a case of playing his way out of the AB’s should he not measure up after all.

On paper the AB’s look as though they should retain the Bledisloe and go close to regaining the Tri Nations. However, I cannot for the life of me understand why Henry and co have once again left out the best winger in the country, Hosea Gear. Whilst with the NZ Maori he absolutely made a mockery of international back lines such as Ireland, England and NZ Barba’s. I have often wondered if there is some personal tension between Henry and Gear. I just don’t think Rokocoko will ever be in the devastating form of old and against a team like Sth Africa I think he may well be found wanting. Zac Guildford being dropped also is an interesting decision. Mills and Nonu are recently back from injury which also doesn’t bode well for us. Personally I would have dropped Jane back to full back left out Rokocoko for Gear and put Guildford on the other wing. In the forwards we should hold our own but from inside centre to out wide I think we may be found a little wanting.

Ivan Cleary needs to be applauded for keeping such an injury plagued Warriors team in the hunt for the NRL finals series. At the start of the season most, mainly Aussie commentators, had the Warriors as the wooden spooners, with the exception of the Storm of course. For a good part of this season Cleary has had to do without key players such as Vatuvei, Rapira, Seymour, Tate, Maloney, Mannering and more recently Locke and Hohaia. Once these injuries hit the media had all but written them off but with a make shift team almost every week they have battled their way into the top eight and only two points outside of the coveted top four with Rapira, Tate, and Seymour still to return and Vatuvei yet to reach full fitness.

The State of Origin series gained back a few fans as NSW actually decided to come and play rather than start brawls. The third and final game although going the way of the maroons was a much tighter affair with NSW stars like Hayne, Gidley, Barrett, Gallen and King playing like they deserved to be in the blue jersey. Not taking anything away from the blues effort but the Banana benders really didn’t perform as they were expected to. This shows just how far ahead of NSW Queensland really are. NSW played 90% better and QLD 35-40% worse yet they still won. Lockyer’s form, helping QLD to their first series clean sweep in 15 yrs, has me thinking he’ll be back for next year’s Origin. There is still a lot of work for NSW if they are to prevent QLD from stretching their 5 series winning streak to 6 next year. The series win and clean sweep came as a great present for coach Mal Maninga who celebrates his 50^th birthday today.

Great to see Michael Campbell make his first cut and actually earn some prize money again albeit just $10,000. His first cut since the Mercedes Benz in Germany last September. But could this be a wee glimpse of a painfully slow come back. Let’s hope so. I’m not really being sarcastic when I say that. On the brighter side of our future golfing prospects emerges Aucklander Michael Hendry. He has managed to win his first tournament on the Asian Tour pocketing himself $180,000 US and rocketing him up the tours order of merit list from 30^th to sixth.

One of the best sporting moments for me over the last few weeks has to be the Waikato/BOP Magic beating the NSW Swifts on Aussie soil to go through to the grand final against old foes the Adelaide Thunderbirds. The win against the Swifts was only their second win on Aussie turf. Last year the Thunderbirds knocked the Magic out in the semi finals so this really is set up to be a great match. These two teams have overcome a lot of adversity to be where they are now and Sundays final is a must watch for any sports fan.

The best moment in sport however was the naming of my daughter Tayla Manawatu in the Canterbury under 14 netball squad. Now her 2nd rep team selection the first being the Sth Island Maori under 13's who came third in Hamilton at the Maori Netball Championships. Well done to her and others selected into the team.

This weekend has more sport well worth taking the time to watch. Saturday has the first test in the Tri Nations Series at Eden Park between Sth Africa and the All Blacks, expect an epic battle. On Sunday as I pointed out there is the transtasman match up in the Grand Final of the ANZ Netball Championship between the Magic and the Thunderbirds. Last year’s semi final between these two teams was somewhat a spiteful affair so it will make for great watching. Also on Sunday the inform Warriors coming off a three game winning streak take on the top of the table co leaders Penrith Panthers. With only 9 games left and plenty of places in the top 8 still up for grabs it is vital the Warriors continue with their great form. Sunday also sees the formula 1 British Grand Prix at Silverstone. This will be a great match up between McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button and Red Bulls Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel.

But of course the event on most of the worlds to watch calendar will be the World Cup Grand Final between Spain and the Netherlands. I think even I will get up to watch this particular patch of grass grow.  Go the Netherlands.

Shane Manawatu

Freelance Sports Journalist

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it