The under-19 girls’ cricket competitions are currently underway every Saturday, serving as a vital platform for selecting a national team to participate in an upcoming qualifier meet this April. Joeli Mateyawa, the development manager of Cricket Fiji, provided these insights during the latest competition held at Albert Park in Suva.
Mateyawa stated that the selection process is geared towards assembling a team for the qualifiers of the 2027 Women’s Under-19 T20 World Cup, which will take place in Papua New Guinea. “That’s what this competition is about, but overall, we do this program every year in the first term,” he explained.
This competition encompasses matches for both under-19 boys and girls, in addition to events for primary schools and senior levels. The tournaments in Suva run simultaneously with a separate event in Nadi at Denarau, where six teams are participating.
As the competitions unfold, Mateyawa underscored the impressive diversity of talent being showcased, with cricketers hailing from both urban and rural schools. Notably, Tailevu North College has shown a strong commitment through high participation. Schools from the Lami corridor, such as Suva Grammar School and Adi Cakobau School, continue to display dominance, reflecting the rich talent pool in cricket.
Recent matches at Albert Park featured several schools, including Lami High School, Lomary Secondary School, Lelean Memorial School, and John Wesley College, all demonstrating their skills and passion for the game. This initiative not only aims to cultivate young talent but also fosters a lasting love for cricket among the youth, signaling a promising future for the sport in Fiji. The commitment observed in these competitions encourages optimism for the development of cricket at the grassroots level.