PNG Cricket star Lega Siaka takes it to England in PM’s XI Match

Papua New Guinean star batsmen, Lega Siaka had an outstanding game for the Prime Minister’s XI against the England XI at Manuka Oval in Canberra yesterday despite being on the losing team.

Siaka had the opportunity to bowl his more-than-handy leg spinners to the English yesterday, picking up very respectable bowling figures of 0/33 off his five overs, going at 6.6 runs per over. These figures were outstanding considering the England XI piled on 6/391 off their allotted 50 overs, with all the other bowlers going at over 7.0 an over. Ian Bell (187), Moeen Ali (71) and James Taylor (71) were the main destroyers for England, while Jason Behrendorff was the leading wicket-taker for the PM’s XI taking 4/79 off his 10 overs. Siaka also took the catch in the outfield to dismiss Ali off the bowling of Glen Maxwell.

In reply, the PM’s XI took it up the English team, eventually being bowled out for 331 in 48.1 overs, with Australian World Cup Squad Member, Maxwell hammering 136 off 89 balls to give a huge scare to the tourist. Coming in at the fall of the fifth wicket-Jake Doran, at 248 in the 36th over, Siaka played a fearless and powerful innings that he is renowned for in the local, East-Asia Pacific Region and across the Associate Cricket nations. Siaka hit a whirl-wind 27 runs off just 15 balls, which included one boundary and a six against a very strong English bowling attack, before being eventually dismissed by Chris Jordan.

“It was an outstanding performance by Lega last night,” said Cricket PNG’s General Manager, Greg Campbell.

“He stood up with the ball against a very strong and in-form England batting line up who scored nearly 400 and he took it up to the England bowlers which included the likes of (Stuart) Broad, (Chris) Woakes, (James) Tredwell and (Chris) Jordan. He definitely turned some heads and made a lot of admirers. Lega should be very proud of his performance and he did his family, community and country proud yesterday,” concluded Campbell.

Lega flies back to Melbourne today to continue his Brian Bell School Scholarship Program with Essendon Cricket Club in the Victorian District Cricket Competition and his rookie stint with the Big Bash Franchise, Melbourne Renegades.