The Fiji Blues, the men’s national cricket team, has been selected for this year’s East Asia Pacific Cricket Trophy with the squad comprising a mix of young and experienced players.

The young squad, the majority of which are under 30 years of age, include a number of changes on the team that travelled to Vanuatu in May for the Stafford-Knight Trophy series.

Coming into the Blues for this tournament are Greg Browne, Josefa Rika and Australian based Seci Tuiwai who were all unavailable for the Vanuatu series due to work and family commitments.

Also joining the squad are Seru Tupou, who impressed at the Under 19 EAP Cricket tournament, Kida Jikoivanualevu, who has returned from overseas service with the army and Taniela Waqa, who caught the eye of selectors at this year’s Easter Tournament.

“We have used this tournament as an opportunity to have a look at some of the players in international competition prior to our important World Cricket League competition in Nepal in January next year,” said Cricket Fiji’s High Performance Manager, Stephen Jenkin.

“There are a number of players who have been a bit unlucky to miss out on a place in this squad because of their past performances and good training attitude, but they are still very much in contention for a place in the Blues come Nepal.”

The full squad selected for the tournament is:

Josefa Sorovakatini (Capt.), Josefa Dabea (Vice Capt.), Josefa Rika (Vice Capt.), Greg Browne, Iniasi Cakacaka, Joji Bulabalavu, Josaia Baba, Kida Jikoivanualevu, Maciu Babiau, Sakaraia Lomani, Seci Tuiwai, Seru Tupou, Taniela Waqa, Viliame Yabaki.

Non-Travelling Reserves: Inoke Cama, Eric Browne, Peni Rika, Tukana Tavo.

The tournament will take place in Samoa from September 17th to 26th and will be split into two sections.

The first section will be a Twenty/20 tournament where the eight competing nations will be split into two pools of four teams with the winners of each pool playing off in the final.

The second section will be played using a 50 over format with the Blues playing against the two other World Cricket League countries – PNG and Japan – in a double round robin competition.

The other countries that are not currently competing in the World Cricket League competition will play a round robin competition with the winner gaining a place in the WCL Division 8 competition next year.