Samoa women's national cricket team

Last updated

Samoa
Samoacr.gif
Cricket Samoa logo
Nickname(s)Nafanua
Association Samoa International Cricket Association
Personnel
CaptainKolotita Nonu
Coach Gary Wood
International Cricket Council
ICC status Associate member [1] (2017)
Affiliate member (2000)
ICC region East Asia-Pacific
ICC RankingsCurrent [2] Best-ever
WT20I 45th 16th (2 Oct 2020) [3]
Women's international cricket
First internationalv. Flag of Fiji.svg  Fiji at Apia; 2 February 2010
Women's Twenty20 Internationals
First WT20Iv. Flag of Fiji.svg  Fiji at Independence Park, Port Vila; 6 May 2019
Last WT20Iv. Flag of Vanuatu.svg  Vanuatu at Lloyd Elsmore Park 2, Auckland; 21 January 2024
WT20IsPlayedWon/Lost
Total [4] 34 17/16
(0 ties, 1 no result)
This year [5] 5 3/2
(0 ties, 0 no results)
As of 21 May 2024

The Samoan women's national cricket team, nicknamed the Nafanua, represents the country of Samoa in international women's cricket. It is organised by the game's governing body in the country, the Samoa International Cricket Association (SICA).

Contents

Although women's cricket has a long history in Samoa, the national team was only formally organised in 2010, with assistance from a New Zealand association, Auckland Cricket. [6] The team has often included Samoan expatriate players based in Australia and New Zealand (including some who have played for state or provincial teams), which has presented difficulties in training. [7] Samoa's first regional tournament came later in 2010, and it has since regularly participated in ICC East Asia-Pacific events, generally ranking behind only Japan and Papua New Guinea in the region. The women's team's most notable achievement has been winning the gold medal in the women's tournament at the 2015 Pacific Games. The team is currently coached by Ian West, an Englishman who gained Samoan citizenship through his wife, and subsequently played for the Samoan men's team. [8]

In April 2018, the International Cricket Council (ICC) granted full Women's Twenty20 International (WT20I) status to all its members. Therefore, all Twenty20 matches played between Samoa women and another international side since 1 July 2018 have the full WT20I status. [9]

History

Cricket has been played in Samoa since the 19th century, when it was introduced by British traders and missionaries. It flourished despite a ban during the period of the German protectorate, from 1900 to 1914. Historically, the sport has been most popular when played under the modified rules known as kilikiti . However, since the early 2000s, when Samoa gained affiliate membership of the International Cricket Council (ICC) and its men's national team debuted internationally (in 2000 and 2001, respectively), the standard form of cricket has begun to replace kilikiti in popularity. [10]

The Samoan women's team played its first international matches in February 2010, when Fiji toured to play a three-match series at Apia's Faleata Oval (in the Tuanaimato area). [11] Fiji were also playing their first internationals. [12] A major impetus for the establishment of a woman's team was its status as a requirement for associate membership of the ICC, to which SICA aspires. [10] Samoa, captained by Perelini Mulitalo, went on to win the series 3–0, [13] and consequently qualified as the third team (after Japan and Papua New Guinea) for the 2010 EAP Trophy in Japan, the team's first major tournament. [14]

Samoa went on to lose all three of its matches at the EAP Trophy, a 50-over tournament, with their closest game being a 12-run loss to Japan in the qualifying final. [15] Their captain there was Mindy Hodgson, a former representative of the Wellington Blaze in New Zealand domestic cricket. [16] However, the Samoans were more successful at their next regional tournament, the 2012 EAP Women's Championship in Port Vila, Vanuatu. That tournament was played using the Twenty20 format, with the winner progressing to the 2013 World Twenty20 Qualifier in Ireland). [17] The three teams from the 2010 tournament were joined by the Cook Islands, Fiji, and Vanuatu. Samoa won all of its group-stage matches (played only against the three newcomers), [18] but lost in the semi-final against Papua New Guinea, eventually placing third after defeating Vanuatu in the third-place playoff. [19]

At the 2014 EAP Women's Championship in Japan (a qualifier for the 2015 World Twenty20 Qualifier), Samoa again placed third after losing a semi-final to Papua New Guinea, with their opponent in the third-place playoff being the Cook Islands. The team's tournament was marked by several instances of individual brilliance, most notably an innings of 104 (off 74 balls) by Moelagi Tuilagi in the playoff, the first century in an EAP Twenty20 event. [20] Samoa's captain, Auckland Hearts player Regina Lili'i, was named both player of the tournament and captain of the team of the tournament. [21] Lili'i was one of three Samoan players with experience in the New Zealand State League, the others being Hana Mauafu (Canterbury Magicians) and Madeleine Chapman (Wellington Blaze). [22] As of May 2015, one unofficial ranking system placed Samoa 27th in the world, behind Kenya. [23] In July 2015, Samoa won the gold medal in the women's tournament at the 2015 Pacific Games in Port Moresby, becoming the first country outside of Papua New Guinea to win gold in Pacific Games cricket. [24]

In December 2020, the ICC announced the qualification pathway for the 2023 ICC Women's T20 World Cup. [25] Samoa were named in the 2021 ICC Women's T20 World Cup EAP Qualifier regional group, alongside seven other teams. [26]

Tournament history

EAP Women's Championship

Pacific Games

Current squad

Updated on 12 January 2024.

This lists all the players who have played for Samoa in the past 12 months or were part of the most recent squad.

NameAgeBatting styleBowling styleNotes
Batters
Fa'aiuga Sisifo20Right-handedRight-arm medium
Leitu Leong21Right-handed
Regina Lili'i 37Right-handedRight-arm medium Captain
All-rounders
Jacinta Sanele19Right-handedRight-arm medium
Taalili Iosefo19Right-handedRight-arm medium
Tuaoloa Semau43Right-handedRight-arm medium
Lagi Telea27Right-handedRight-arm medium
Ailaoa Aoina19Left-handedLeft-arm medium
Eleni Vaaetasi27Right-handedRight-arm medium
Aunoa Iopu21Right-handedRight-arm off break
Carol AgafiliRight-handedRight-arm medium
Wicketkeepers
Ruth Johnston24Right-handed-
Francesca Nafanua-
Bowlers
Ariota Kupito21Right-handedRight-arm medium-fast
Vicky Tafea20Right-handedRight-arm medium

Records and statistics

International Match Summary — Samoa Women [30]

Last updated 21 January 2024

Playing Record
FormatMWLTNRInaugural Match
Twenty20 Internationals341716016 May 2019

Twenty20 International

T20I record versus other nations [30]

Records complete to WT20I #1742. Last updated 21 January 2024.

OpponentMWLTNRFirst matchFirst win
ICC Associate members
Flag of the Cook Islands.svg  Cook Islands 220007 September 20237 September 2023
Flag of Fiji.svg  Fiji 962016 May 20196 May 2019
Flag of Indonesia.svg  Indonesia 211007 May 20197 May 2019
Flag of Japan.svg  Japan 211007 May 20197 May 2019
Flag of Papua New Guinea.svg  Papua New Guinea 10280010 May 201911 July 2019
Flag of Vanuatu.svg  Vanuatu 954009 May 20199 May 2019

See also

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