Papua New Guinea's wicketkeeper Kiplin Doriga plays a shot during the ICC men's Twenty20 World Cup cricket match between Bangladesh and Papua New Guinea. Photo: AFP
Members of the Papua New Guinea Barramundis team are standing firm with their demands for payments from Cricket PNG, claiming the national circket association continues to downplay their concerns.
The National newspaper reports the national team players are not happy with how the governing body of the sport in PNG is handling the situation.
The players are calling for the removal of Cricket PNG chief executive Richard Done and payments for national duty commitments last year.
In a statement on Thursday, the group of players claimed that Cricket PNG has not addressed or resolved any of their issues, despite a deadline of 3 February given to them.
"Not a single issue addressed or Kina of outstanding payments made to the players," the statement said.
They said Cricket PNG was not open to "resolving this issue in good faith".
The group disputed the players contracts that Cricket PNG has reviewed, claiming that the new contracts are not aligned to international cricket contracts.
"Over the years, we put up with expat coaches and managment staying in private hotel rooms, while the players and local staff and coaches, grown men with children, had to share rooms like schoolboys," the statement said.
"We had to fight for the local coaches and staff to be given the same conditions as expat staff and coaches on tours.
"Management had access to vehicles at their leisure while we sent injured players to medical appointments on public transport in foreign cities.
"We send our young players overseas with patchy support."
The group of players said they want things to change for the better so circket in PNG can grow to its full potential.
Barramundis head coach Tatenda Taibu has resigned and moved back to England, where his family lives.
The Under-19s coach Jack Care-Kevere, who led the side to winning the ICC East Asia Pacific qualifiers last year, has been sacked by Cricket PNG.
Talent identification manager Rodney Maha has also resigned.
Maha told The National he does not want to work with th current Cricket PNG Board.
He said he backed the players and accused the Board of not treating the players' petition fairly.
"I give my full support to the players for fighting for their rights and believe they (Barramundis) must be treated with respect," Maha said.
"It is time we changed some things in Cricket PNG so that the way we do things moving forward are done for the betterment of everyone, and not only to benefit a few."
He said despite what Cricket PNG says he can vouch that there are internal problems within the cricket management team.
The Barramundis are ranked 20th in the International Cricket Council (ICC) T20 team rankings.
'No case to answer' - Cricket PNG
Cricket PNG chariman Michael Harrison said there is no case to answer.
He said they are not immune to the current difficulties being faced by many across PNG at the moment and their funding is dependent on sponsorship and funding received from the international federation.
Harrison claims a small number of staff continue to cause disruption and have refused to accept the findings that there is no case to answer.
"The Cricket PNGBoard received a petition from staff listing a number of grievances.
"The Board has investigated these and found there is no case to answer. The Board acknowledges that cashflow has been very tight in the last quarter of the year and that a number of payments, had been made late," he said.
"Our funding is dependent on sponsorship and funding received from our international federation. This funding was reduced in 2024 due to our performances on the field since the pandemic. The pandemic meant that we reduced our level of competition both domestically and internationally and this has then affected our funding levels.
"We have recognized the concerns of the staff and are carefully managing our funds until our new funding is received next year. Unfortunately, a small number of staff continue to cause disruption and have refused to accept the findings that there is no case to answer. They have refused to work with current management and accordingly no longer work for Cricket PNG."
RNZ Pacific has also reached out to the International Cricket Commission for comment.
