Combined release from the Papua New Guinea Cricket Board & International Cricket Council East Asia – Pacific Development Program

The Papua New Guinea Cricket Board today announced that Mark Bainbrigge had been appointed to the new full-time position of PNGCB Operations Manager.

Bainbrigge, 39, was born in Papua New Guinea and spent much of his childhood in Port Moresby. He has since been a detective and officer for both the Australian Federal and Queensland Police Services and has played high level cricket in Queensland, Sydney and England. He is a Level 1 Australian Cricket Board Coach and has extensive voluntary cricket administration and junior coaching service. Bainbrigge has also worked in the sporting industry and has returned to Papua New Guinea with his wife, who is on an international posting, and three children. His father was a former captain of the PNG national cricket side in the 1960's.

After an extensive and professional advertising, application and selection process, PNGCB Chairman, William Maha, said, "we are delighted to have secured the services of someone of Mark's quality and are confident that together with the Board he can lead Papua New Guinea Cricket into a new era of success at all levels."

In presenting his vision for the further development of cricket in PNG, Bainbrigge identified clear priority attention areas such as;

• professional long-term strategic and short-term operational planning & budgeting
• successful completion of current constitutional review/reform
• clear and open communication with members to ensure maximum service and cooperation (and media and others to ensure maximum promotion and support)
• new joint initiatives with relevant parties such as Government sport & education departments, sponsors and foreign aid
• re-vitalisation of junior development programs to widen the base and appeal of the game
• strengthening of local competitions for real community benefit
• specific set programs for all of elite development and coach & umpire education, and professional coordination of same.

Said Bainbridge, "I am thrilled to accept the position and look forward to the challenge. It is plain to see that this country has great cricketing potential with natural talent and clear enthusiasm. I see the test ahead of us being to harness this within well-planned structures and systems that will properly serve cricket development here well into the future. We must aim to provide all cricketers, and the sport as a whole, with the fullest opportunity to reach maximum potential whether it be in terms of national team performance at senior and Under 19 levels or expanding grass-roots participation numbers in local junior leagues by linking with schools programs and other initiatives."

International Cricket Council East Asia – Pacific Development Manager, Matthew Kennedy, said "as a key supporter to the position, the ICC is delighted with Mark's appointment and we look forward to working closely with him on many relevant activities at the international level. This is an important step of many required in the desired path for PNG to become one of our leading Associate members.

"But one employee can't do it alone. The key to any successful cricket nation is its volunteer base whether it be administrators, coaches, umpires, scorers or parents helping out at a junior clinic. With so may activities on its plate, ranging from national team issues to junior development initiatives and working with its local member Associations, for the national Board of Papua New Guinea Cricket to be truly successful it will need a large and hard working off-field team. One of Mark's challenges will be to build that", Kennedy added.

The Operations Manager role begins at a very busy and exciting time for cricket in PNG which includes;

August 2002   - ICC conducted preparatory camps and courses for players and coaches
October       - domestic Season Commences
	      - PNG elite players and coaches visit Australian Cricket Academy
December      - PNG coaches/development officers to ICC course in Melbourne, Australia
January 2003  - Elite player (senior and U/19) camps in PNG
March	      - Proposed tour by Marylebone CC to PNG (games against senior and U/19 teams)
April         - PNG Cricket National Championships
May           - Tour by PNG to North Queensland, Australia
June/July     - South Pacific Games, Fiji
August        - ICC World Cup Qualifying Series, Malaysia
October       - ICC U/19 World Cup Qualifier, Namibia

Matthew Kennedy said, "as evident by all of this, the ICC has and will continue to provide great support to Papua New Guinea cricket's endeavours. The real key however is for our member countries to obtain meaningful funding and other support mechanisms independent of the ICC's set means for all its global development initiatives. For example, if this occurred in this country, major projects of benefit such as the development of a feature cricket facility could be realistically explored.

"Whilst there is much work to be done, it is great that this appointment places the Papua New Guinea Cricket Board in the best position it has ever been to `help itself' by pro-active means and we will assist however we can," Kennedy concluded.

New offices of the PNGCB, managed by the Operations Manager, will be located at the headquarters of the PNG Sports Commission. Bainbrigge commences his role today, Monday 7 October.

For more information from the Papua New Guinea Cricket Board, please contact PNGCB Secretary/Treasurer, Wayne Satchell, Tel. +675 325 5411

For more information from an International Cricket Council point of view about this announcement, cricket in PNG and/or the East Asia – Pacific Region, the overall ICC Development Program, or access to photos of cricket in PNG for publication, please contact Matthew Kennedy, ICC East Asia – Pacific Development Manager, Tel. +61 3 9653 9921 E-mail matthew_kennedy@acb.com.au

© ICC 2002