With the four associate sides in the World Cup preparing for that tournament, the two other ODI status associates aren't being left out, as Hong Kong and Papua New Guinea are set for a two match ODI series in Australia next month. T20I status team Nepal are also getting in on the action, as they will be playing a three match T20I series against Hong Kong in Sri Lanka.

Papua New Guinea will become just the 23rd ICC member to play an official ODI when they play Hong Kong on the 8th and 9th of November. With PNG currently lacking an ODI-approved ground, the matches will be played at the Tony Ireland Stadium in Townsville, Queensland, which recently became the 10th venue in Australia approved to host ODIs.

The matches will be the first associate v associate ODIs in Australia, and the first time an associate has played a full international in Australia since then associate member Zimbabwe played in the 1992 World Cup.

Following the ODI series, the teams will play a three-day match at the same venue to help prepare for the Intercontinental Cup which starts next year. Whilst many of the Hong Kong players have played three-day cricket previously in the old ACC Fast Track Nations tournament and the 2005 Intercontinental Cup, it will be a new experience for Papua New Guinea, though they have played some two-day cricket in Australia.

Papua New Guinea will remain in Queensland, moving further south to Lismore to take part in the East Asia Pacific Twenty20 Championship later in the month, an eight team round robin event that will provide one qualifier for the global World Twenty20 Qualifier in Scotland/Ireland next year.

Hong Kong meanwhile will travel to Sri Lanka along with Nepal for a T20I series. Whilst there, the teams will play three T20Is and a one-day match against each other, as well as two three-day matches each against a Sri Lanka Cricket Board XI. Nepal will be hoping to progress through Division 3 and 2 of the World Cricket League to reach the Intercontinental Cup. These will be the first multi-day matches they've played since a Intercontinental Cup qualifying match against Namibia in 2006.

Hong Kong and PNG in Australia fixtures

8th November: 1st ODI
9th November: 2nd ODI
11th-13th November: Three-day match

All matches at Tony Ireland Stadium, Townsville

Hong Kong and Nepal in Sri Lanka fixtures

9th-11th November: Sri Lanka Cricket Board XI v Nepal at Kurunegala
14th-16th November: Sri Lanka Cricket Board XI v Nepal at Dambulla
19th November: Hong Kong v Nepal, 1st T20I at Dambulla
20th November: Hong Kong v Nepal, 2nd T20I at Dambulla
22nd November: Hong Kong v Nepal, 3rd T20I at Dambulla
24th November: Hong Kong v Nepal, 50 over match at Kurunegala
26th-28th November: Sri Lanka Cricket Board XI v Hong Kong at Kurunegala
1st-3rd December: Sri Lanka Cricket Board XI v Hong Kong at Dambulla