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Islanders to take on Oman this weekend
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Posted on Apr 06 2008
Pacific Oceania, along with powerhouses, Australia and New Zealand, will see action in a second round tie this coming weekend from April 11 to 13.
The Islanders travel to Muscat for a Group 2 relegation tie against Oman. Brett Baudinet of the Cook Islands has been recalled to the Pacifc Oceania team to strengthen the doubles options.
Pacific Oceania will play Oman in Muscat starting this Friday. Although it is Oman’s first time in Group 2 it will be a very tough tie for the Pacific team who have yet to win away from home.
Islanders captain Cyrille Mainguy has named the same team which won Pacific Oceania’s first ever home tie against Lebanon in 2005.
Solomon Islands star Michael Leong heads the team along with Juan Langton of Samoa, Cyril Jacobe of Vanuatu, and the returning Baudinet. The team have been training in Brisbane and left for Oman last Saturday, April 5.
Oman has named the same team as that which lost 0-5 to New Zealand in the first round in February. The Oman players will have learned from their experience then and be tougher for the Pacific team to crack.
Play in Muscat will be in the afternoon/evening each day to avoid the 35-plus degree heat in the middle of the day and will conclude under floodlights.
The starting time is 3pm each day which is 10pm New Zealand time so play is not expected to finish until breakfast time the next day Pacific time. Two singles will be played on Friday, the doubles on Saturday, and the reverse singles on Sunday.
Meanwhile, Australia has the only home tie, hosting Thailand in Townsville where they are hoping to clinch a place in the World Group playoffs with a win in their Group 1 semi-final. New Zealand travels to Kuwait for their second round tie in group 2 and will face a tough challenge in their efforts to regain a Group 1 place.
