Wikipedia

Samoa women's national cricket team

For the men's team, see Samoa national cricket team.

The Samoan women's national cricket team, nicknamed the Nafanua, represents the country of Samoa in international women's cricket. It is organised by the game's governing body in the country, the Samoa International Cricket Association (SICA).

Samoa
Refer to caption
Cricket Samoa logo
Nickname(s)Nafanua
AssociationSamoa International Cricket Association
Personnel
CaptainKolotita Nonu
CoachGary Wood
International Cricket Council
ICC statusAssociate member[1] (2017)
Affiliate member (2000)
ICC regionEast Asia-Pacific
ICC Rankings Current[3] Best-ever
WT20I 45th 16th (2 Oct 2020)[2]
Women's international cricket
First internationalv.  Fiji at Apia; 2 February 2010
Women's Twenty20 Internationals
First WT20Iv.  Fiji at Independence Park, Port Vila; 6 May 2019
Last WT20Iv.  Vanuatu at Lloyd Elsmore Park 2, Auckland; 21 January 2024
WT20Is Played Won/Lost
Total[4] 34 17/16
(0 ties, 1 no result)
This year[5] 5 3/2
(0 ties, 0 no results)
As of 21 May 2024

Although women's cricket has a long history in Samoa, the national team was only formally organised in 2010, with assistance from a New Zealand association, Auckland Cricket.[6] The team has often included Samoan expatriate players based in Australia and New Zealand (including some who have played for state or provincial teams), which has presented difficulties in training.[7] Samoa's first regional tournament came later in 2010, and it has since regularly participated in ICC East Asia-Pacific events, generally ranking behind only Japan and Papua New Guinea in the region. The women's team's most notable achievement has been winning the gold medal in the women's tournament at the 2015 Pacific Games. The team is currently coached by Ian West, an Englishman who gained Samoan citizenship through his wife, and subsequently played for the Samoan men's team.[8]

In April 2018, the International Cricket Council (ICC) granted full Women's Twenty20 International (WT20I) status to all its members. Therefore, all Twenty20 matches played between Samoa women and another international side since 1 July 2018 have the full WT20I status.[9]

History

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Cricket has been played in Samoa since the 19th century, when it was introduced by British traders and missionaries. It flourished despite a ban during the period of the German protectorate, from 1900 to 1914. Historically, the sport has been most popular when played under the modified rules known as kilikiti. However, since the early 2000s, when Samoa gained affiliate membership of the International Cricket Council (ICC) and its men's national team debuted internationally (in 2000 and 2001, respectively), the standard form of cricket has begun to replace kilikiti in popularity.[10]

The Samoan women's team played its first international matches in February 2010, when Fiji toured to play a three-match series at Apia's Faleata Oval (in the Tuanaimato area).[11] Fiji were also playing their first internationals.[12] A major impetus for the establishment of a woman's team was its status as a requirement for associate membership of the ICC, to which SICA aspires.[10] Samoa, captained by Perelini Mulitalo, went on to win the series 3–0,[13] and consequently qualified as the third team (after Japan and Papua New Guinea) for the 2010 EAP Trophy in Japan, the team's first major tournament.[14]

Samoa went on to lose all three of its matches at the EAP Trophy, a 50-over tournament, with their closest game being a 12-run loss to Japan in the qualifying final.[15] Their captain there was Mindy Hodgson, a former representative of the Wellington Blaze in New Zealand domestic cricket.[16] However, the Samoans were more successful at their next regional tournament, the 2012 EAP Women's Championship in Port Vila, Vanuatu. That tournament was played using the Twenty20 format, with the winner progressing to the 2013 World Twenty20 Qualifier in Ireland).[17] The three teams from the 2010 tournament were joined by the Cook Islands, Fiji, and Vanuatu. Samoa won all of its group-stage matches (played only against the three newcomers),[18] but lost in the semi-final against Papua New Guinea, eventually placing third after defeating Vanuatu in the third-place playoff.[19]

At the 2014 EAP Women's Championship in Japan (a qualifier for the 2015 World Twenty20 Qualifier), Samoa again placed third after losing a semi-final to Papua New Guinea, with their opponent in the third-place playoff being the Cook Islands. The team's tournament was marked by several instances of individual brilliance, most notably an innings of 104 (off 74 balls) by Moelagi Tuilagi in the playoff, the first century in an EAP Twenty20 event.[20] Samoa's captain, Auckland Hearts player Regina Lili'i, was named both player of the tournament and captain of the team of the tournament.[21] Lili'i was one of three Samoan players with experience in the New Zealand State League, the others being Hana Mauafu (Canterbury Magicians) and Madeleine Chapman (Wellington Blaze).[22] As of May 2015, one unofficial ranking system placed Samoa 27th in the world, behind Kenya.[23] In July 2015, Samoa won the gold medal in the women's tournament at the 2015 Pacific Games in Port Moresby, becoming the first country outside of Papua New Guinea to win gold in Pacific Games cricket.[24]

In December 2020, the ICC announced the qualification pathway for the 2023 ICC Women's T20 World Cup.[25] Samoa were named in the 2021 ICC Women's T20 World Cup EAP Qualifier regional group, alongside seven other teams.[26]

Tournament history

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EAP Women's Championship

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  • 2010: 3rd place (3 teams)[27]
  • 2012: 3rd place (6 teams)[28]
  • 2014: 3rd place (5 teams)[29]
  • 2016: 2nd place (3 teams)

Pacific Games

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  • 2015: Gold medal (6 teams)
  • 2019: Gold medal (4 teams)

Current squad

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Updated on 12 January 2024.

This lists all the players who have played for Samoa in the past 12 months or were part of the most recent squad.

Name Age Batting style Bowling style Notes
Batters
Fa'aiuga Sisifo 21 Right-handed Right-arm medium
Leitu Leong 22 Right-handed
Regina Lili'i 38 Right-handed Right-arm medium Captain
All-rounders
Jacinta Sanele 20 Right-handed Right-arm medium
Taalili Iosefo 20 Right-handed Right-arm medium
Tuaoloa Semau 43 Right-handed Right-arm medium
Lagi Telea 27 Right-handed Right-arm medium
Ailaoa Aoina 19 Left-handed Left-arm medium
Eleni Vaaetasi 27 Right-handed Right-arm medium
Aunoa Iopu 21 Right-handed Right-arm off break
Carol Agafili Right-handed Right-arm medium
Wicketkeepers
Ruth Johnston 25 Right-handed -
Francesca Nafanua -
Bowlers
Ariota Kupito 21 Right-handed Right-arm medium-fast
Vicky Tafea 20 Right-handed Right-arm medium

Records and statistics

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International Match Summary — Samoa Women[30]

Last updated 21 January 2024

Playing Record
Format M W L T NR Inaugural Match
Twenty20 Internationals 34 17 16 0 1 6 May 2019

Twenty20 International

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T20I record versus other nations[30]

Records complete to WT20I #1742. Last updated 21 January 2024.

Opponent M W L T NR First match First win
ICC Associate members
  Cook Islands 2 2 0 0 0 7 September 2023 7 September 2023
  Fiji 9 6 2 0 1 6 May 2019 6 May 2019
  Indonesia 2 1 1 0 0 7 May 2019 7 May 2019
  Japan 2 1 1 0 0 7 May 2019 7 May 2019
  Papua New Guinea 10 2 8 0 0 10 May 2019 11 July 2019
  Vanuatu 9 5 4 0 0 9 May 2019 9 May 2019

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Ireland and Afghanistan ICC newest full members amid wide-ranging governance reform". International Cricket Council. 22 June 2017. Retrieved 1 September 2018.
  2. ^ "Australia Women remain No.1 in ODIs, T20Is after annual update". ICC. 2 October 2020. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
  3. ^ "ICC Rankings". International Cricket Council.
  4. ^ "WT20I matches - Team records". ESPNcricinfo.
  5. ^ "WT20I matches - 2024 Team records". ESPNcricinfo.
  6. ^ (15 March 2012). "Samoan women preparing for big challenge" – Auckland Cricket. Retrieved 30 June 2015.
  7. ^ (23 April 2014). "Samoa target top two finish in Japan" – ICC East Asia-Pacific. Retrieved 30 June 2015.
  8. ^ Lauren Priestley (30 January 2013). "Developing Samoan cricket" – East & Bays Courier. Retrieved 30 June 2015.
  9. ^ "All T20I matches to get international status". International Cricket Council. Retrieved 26 April 2018.
  10. ^ a b Andy Bull (27 January 2010). "Cricket in Samoa: It's just not kilikiti" – The Guardian. Retrieved 30 June 2015.
  11. ^ Other women's matches played by Samoa Women Archived 30 September 2015 at the Wayback Machine – CricketArchive. Retrieved 30 June.
  12. ^ (15 January 2010). "National Women's Team Selected For Samoa Challenge Series" – Cricket Fiji. Retrieved 30 June 2015.
  13. ^ (6 February 2010). "Samoa clinch women's series 3-0" – ICC East Asia-Pacific. Retrieved 30 June 2015.
  14. ^ (5 February 2010). "Samoa win series with 2-0 lead in Women’s Challenge" – Oceania Sport Information Centre. Retrieved 30 June 2015.
  15. ^ Japan Women v Samoa Women, Women's East Asia-Pacific Trophy 2010 (Qualifying Final) – CricketArchive. Retrieved 30 June 2015.
  16. ^ Mindy Hodgson – CricketArchive. Retrieved 30 June 2015.
  17. ^ (30 April 2012). "Squads Named For Women's ICC EAP T20 Championship" – Cricket World. Retrieved 30 June 2015.
  18. ^ ICC East Asia-Pacific Women's Championship 2012 table – CricketArchive. Retrieved 30 June 2015.
  19. ^ ICC East Asia-Pacific Women's Championship 2012 – CricketArchive. Retrieved 30 June 2015.
  20. ^ (12 May 2014). "Sport: PNG Lewas win EAP Women's Trophy" – Radio New Zealand. Retrieved 30 June 2015.
  21. ^ (13 May 2014). "Sport: Samoa captain Lili'I named player of tournament" – Radio New Zealand. Retrieved 30 June 2015.
  22. ^ (13 March 2014). "Samoan women head to Japan for qualifying" – Auckland Cricket. Retrieved 30 June 2015.
  23. ^ Shane Booth. Women's One Day International Ratings – Shane's Cricket Ratings. Retrieved 30 June 2015.
  24. ^ (27 June 2015). "Fiji, Samoa ready for games challenge" – The Fiji Times. Retrieved 30 June 2015.
  25. ^ "Qualification for ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2023 announced". International Cricket Council. Retrieved 12 December 2020.
  26. ^ "ICC announce qualification process for 2023 Women's T20 World Cup". The Cricketer. Retrieved 12 December 2020.
  27. ^ Women's East Asia-Pacific Trophy 2010 – CricketArchive. Retrieved 30 June.
  28. ^ ICC East Asia-Pacific Women's Championship 2012 – CricketArchive. Retrieved 30 June.
  29. ^ ICC East Asia-Pacific Women's Championship 2014 – CricketArchive. Retrieved 30 June.
  30. ^ a b "Records / Samoa Women / Twenty20 Internationals / Result summary". ESPNcricinfo.
  31. ^ "Records / Samoa Women / Women's Twenty20 Internationals / Highest totals". ESPN Cricinfo.
  32. ^ "Records / Samoa Women / Women's Twenty20 Internationals / High Scores". ESPN Cricinfo.
  33. ^ "Records / Samoa Women / Women's Twenty20 Internationals / Best Bowling figures". ESPN Cricinfo.
  34. ^ "Records / Samoa Women / Twenty20 Internationals / Most runs". ESPNcricinfo.
  35. ^ "Records / Samoa Women / Twenty20 Internationals / Most wickets". ESPNcricinfo.
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