THE Papua New Guinea (PNG) Garamuts have wrapped up their successful preparation tour to Brisbane, with a celebratory lunch hosted at Champions Corner at Allan Border Field last Sunday. The tour provided the Garamuts with valuable experience ahead of their upcoming cricket commitments.
The lunch, held to celebrate the conclusion of the tour, was attended by key figures from the local PNG and Australian cricket communities. Special guests included Reatau Rau, PNG Consul-General to Queensland, and his wife, Susan; Lynette Wessell, President of PNG Federation Queensland Inc.; Nickson Waiyo, representing Rex Paki from the PNG
Trade Commission; and cricket legend, Jeff Thomson.
The Garamuts tour was funded by the Australian Government’s PacificAus Sports program which has been supporting high-performance cricket in PNG since 2022, further strengthening the sporting ties between the two countries.
“We are incredibly grateful for the support we’ve received from the Australian Government’s PacificAus Sports program throughout this tour,” said Michael Harrison, Chair of Cricket PNG.
“Despite the weather washing out all four of the planned matches, the Garamuts gained so much from this time together, training as a squad and building important team dynamics. It was fantastic to celebrate the conclusion of the
journey with the PNG community here in Brisbane.”
Reatau Rau, PNG Consul-General to Queensland, added, “It is always a privilege to support the Papua New Guinea national teams, especially the Garamuts, who continue to inspire the next generation of cricketers. This tour is a testament to the commitment of both the players and the supporters who make such events possible. We are excited
to see the team progress in their journey, and we will continue to back them every step of the way.
The event also offered an opportunity to extend thanks to those who contributed to the visit, Tim Nielsen, who provided a high energy start to the visit on the first weekend, Kade Horan of Queensland Cricket for his exceptional efforts in organizing the tour as part of the new MOU with Cricket PNG; and Lindsay Trigar and his team of physiotherapists for their care and dedication in looking after the players’ wellbeing throughout the trip.
Looking ahead, the Garamuts will return to Port Moresby to participate in the Isuzu Men’s T20 Smash, which will be held from April 4 to April 13 at Amini Park, the home of PNG cricket. The tournament will be a key event for the team as they continue to build momentum leading into international competitions.
After the Isuzu T20 Smash, the Garamuts will travel to Japan on April 19 for the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup East Asia Pacific Qualifier. A victory in Japan will secure them a place in the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup in South Africa in early 2026.
With the success of the Brisbane tour behind them and the upcoming Isuzu T20 Smash ahead, the Garamuts are now focused on their next challenges, bolstered by the strong backing from both the Australian and PNG communities.