Panamex PNG Wins PGK 20,000 Trukai VPL
Panamex PNG won the Trukai VPL Final at Amini Park on Sunday May 15 by 274 runs over Koita Warriors. Panamex PNG after struggling in week 1, turned into knockout cricket experts, first beating Northern Alexanders in their Quarterfinal, before defeating the favoured and previously unbeaten Gamoga Lawyers Spirit of Rigo off the last ball in their Semifinal.
In the final, Koita Warriors Captain Hiri Hiri Patana won the toss and sent Panamex PNG into bat, hoping to restrict them to a low total for their powerful batting line up to chase down. Tanti Heni opened the innings strongly, scoring 35 runs off 17 balls, with support from John Boge Reva with 13 runs off 10 balls. Penny Loa with 2 wickets for 15 runs off 2 overs and Michael Hairai with 2 wickets for 18 runs off 2 overs were the pick of the Warriors bowlers. The total of 92 runs for six wickets was above the target of 80 that Panamex Captain John Boge Reva felt they needed to take control of the match.
In response the Koita Warriors lost regular wickets and were never able to take on the total. The star top four batters, Assad Vala, Uditha Sameera, Tony Ura and Hiri Hiri Patana all failed to reach double figures, with a rear-guard innings by Jeremiah Nigani with 14 runs off 8 balls only offering a slight glimmer of hope. For Panamex PNG Raymond Haoda took 3 wickets for 21 runs from his 2 overs, and Sakavai Gebai took 2 wickets for only 7 runs from his 2 overs.
Panamex PNG, suppliers of Sudso Laundry Powder, Max and Flora, Three Cooks Instant Noodles and Cooking Oil, Zap Mosquito Coils, Five Star Canned Mackerel, Blue Sea Canned Tuna and Paradise Matches, to name just a few, become the first Trukai VPL winners, setting a standard for teams to try to catch in the next Trukai VPL in October.
Vani Vagi Morea from Zara Wanderers won the tournament MVP for Batting, scoring 143 runs at an average of 71.5 and strike rate of 130. This is a repeat win for Morea, who has starred in the Trukai VPL in 2021 and 2022. Robert Naime from Gamoga Lawyers Spirit of Rigo won the tournament MVP for Bowling, with 7 wickets for 31 runs from only 3 matches. Both MVP’s won an executive stay package at the Hilton Port Moresby.
The Trukai VPL was a true festival of cricket, with fans young and old able to enjoy high quality fast paced cricket, in a safe environment. Thanks to our partners Trukai Industries, this edition of the Trukai VPL was bigger and better than the 2021 version, with all the team owners, players, and fans looking forward to the next Trukai VPL in October 2022. The next Trukai VPL promises to be even bigger and better again.
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