Association | Vanuatu Cricket Association |
---|---|
ICC status | Affiliate (1995) Associate (2009) |
ICC region | ICC East Asia-Pacific |
WCL | 2015 Division Six |
Coach | Shane Deitz |
Captain | Andrew Mansale |
First international | |
New Hebrides v. Fiji (Suva; 30 August 1979) |
|
As of 14 September 2015 |
The Vanuatu national cricket team is the team that represents the country of Vanuatu in international cricket matches. The team is organised by the Vanuatu Cricket Association, which became an affiliate member of the International Cricket Council in 1995 and was promoted to associate status in 2009. Vanuatu made its international debut at the 1979 Pacific Games, at which time the country was still known as the New Hebrides. The majority of the team's matches have come against other members of the ICC East Asia-Pacific region, including both at ICC regional tournaments and at the cricket events at the Pacific Games.
Vanuatu entered the World Cricket League at the 2008 Division Five tournament. The team participated in the WCL system at the 2015 Division Six event, where it placed third. Following the withdrawal of Suriname from the 2016 Division Five tournament, Vanuatu were named as their replacement.
Vanuatu competed in the Pacifica Championships on the two occasions it was held, finishing seventh in 2001 and sixth in 2002. In 2005, they hosted the East Asia/Pacific Cricket Cup, finishing third in the six team competition, therefore missing out on qualification for the 2007 World Cup. At the East Asia – Pacific Trophy in Auckland, New Zealand in December 2007, Vanuatu finished second, therefore qualifying through to the World Cricket League Division Five in 2008. In the highly successful 2009 calendar year, Vanuatu defeated Fiji in two One-Day Series in Port Vila as well as claiming the prestigious 2009 ICC EAP Men's Cricket Trophy (Non-World Cricket League) held in Samoa, defeating the hosts in the final. At a junior level, Vanuatu has finished second to Papua New Guinea in the following competitions: East Asia – Pacific Under 15 Super 8s, Melbourne, Australia, 2005; East Asia – Pacific Under 15 Super 8s, Apia, Samoa, 2007; East Asia – Pacific Under 19 World Cup Qualifying Tournament, Port Vila, Vanuatu, 2007.