Betbarter Vanuatu T10 Blast | Team of the week ft. Virualiuliu, Clement Tommy and Andrew Mansale

Betbarter Vanuatu T10 Blast | Team of the week ft. Virualiuliu, Clement Tommy and Andrew Mansale

no photo

Betbarter Vanuaty T10 Blast: Team of the Week

|

Getty

The Vanuatu T10 blast, which kicked off last week, marked the return of cricket post the Covid-19 wave across the world, and it certainly did not disappoint. From blistering cameos to breathtaking spells we had it all, and thus this gives the perfect chance for us to look at the Team of the week.

Joshua Rasu: With 103 runs across three games, Panthers’ Joshua Rasu topped the run-charts in week one of the Betbarter Vanuatu T10 Blast, but his contribution extended beyond the numbers. Striking at a rate of 223, the right-hander pummelled bowlers up-front to give his side the early edge and thanks to Rasu’s efforts, the Panthers did end up scoring north of 100 in two of their three outings. Remarkably, Rasu also picked 5 wickets in week one to establish himself as one of the MVPs of the tournament.

Nalin Nipiko:Nipiko’s flawless, match-winning 33* against the Bulls sees him earn a spot in the Team of the first week. After being bowled out for just 35 in their first game and after losing two quick wickets whilst chasing 62 versus the Bulls, things could have gone ugly for the Sharks, but the right-hander’s phlegmatism single-handedly helped the Blues register their first win of the competition. That he scored 52% of his team’s runs to drag them to a victory speaks volumes about Nipiko’s quality, composure, determination and ability as a player.

Clement Tommy: There were certainly quite a few heroic individual performances in week one, but nothing quite beats Clement Tommy’s otherworldly fifty versus the Panthers. Chasing 131, staring at a third consecutive defeat, Tommy went on a rampage against the table-toppers, blasting four fours and four sixes en route to a 20-ball fifty, to secure his side their first win of the competition. Statistically, he’s been okay - 59 runs at an average of 19.6 - but his heroics versus the Panthers alone sees him cement a spot in the team of the week.

Andrew Mansale: Andrew Mansale has come up with Lance Klusener-esque performances so far this tournament and has been a force to be reckoned with, with both bat and ball. His 38-ball 75 against the Panthers in Match 1 still stands tall as the highest individual score of the tournament but that blitz aside, he’s also taken the new ball and picked three wickets. His presence alone, one would imagine, would keep the other sides in check for the rest of the tournament.

Wesley Viraliuliu: If Mansale has been duplicating Klusener, then Viraliuliu has eclipsed the destructiveness of Andre Russell and the consistency of Jacques Kallis - with both bat and ball. His numbers are truly absurd - to go along with the 74 runs he’s scored at a strike rate of 231, Viraliuliu has also picked up five wickets, including a match-winning three-fer against the Bulls in match 1. He has undoubtedly been the player of the tournament thus far and has also been the single biggest reason for the Panthers sitting mighty at the top of the table.

Simpson Obed: Simpson Obed, remarkably, is the third Panthers all-rounder to make his way into this week’s Team of the Week and just like his compatriots, he, too, has been an out-and-out match winner with both bat and ball. Opening the bowling aside - something he’s done successfully, claiming 5 wickets in 3 games - Obed has also proved to be a valuable asset down the order, scoring valuable cameos to give his side a push towards the end. Perhaps he would have scored more runs had he gotten more balls to face; not his fault the batsmen above him have been too good. 

Philip Tsione: Like his teammate Clement Tommy, Tsione, too, finds a place in this team by the virtue of a remarkable match-winning display. While Tommy’s cameo did give the Bulls hope, it was Tsione’s onslaught - a 10-ball 21 which included two sixes and a four - that really shook the Panthers and propelled Bulls towards victory. That he is a finisher who can give the ball a proper whack down the order also has helped him edge ahead of the others in our team of the week. 

Eddie Mansale: Yet another all-rounder who can both bat and bowl at will, Mansale showcased his ability in the Bulls’ encounter against the Sharks, where he both top-scored for the team (with 23) and almost helped his side pull off an unlikely heist, finishing with figures of 2/8. While he’s not quite a hitter like Tsione or Viraliuliu, Mansale definitely is someone who can be relied upon with the bat, and that coupled with his uncanny ability to provide timely breakthroughs has seen him make the team of the week.

Obed Yosef: In a tournament where all-rounders have thrived, Obed Yosef is an out-and-out spinner who needs to be cherished and valued. A left-arm spinner who opens the bowling, Yosef’s breathtaking spell of 2-1-2-2 set up the Sharks for their first win of the season against the Bulls last week. Simple yet effective, Obed has often troubled batsmen with his impeccable accuracy and that has seen him emerge as one of the best bowlers in the competition.

Tony Tamata: The five wickets that he’s picked aside - which, in itself, is impressive - in a tournament where boundaries have been easy to come by, Tony Tamata’ economy rate has separated him from the rest, making him a valuable asset to the Panthers’ side. Tamata has maintained an astonishing economy rate of 6.6 in this tournament, despite having bowled predominantly at the death. His discipline has single-handedly made him a force to be reckoned with.

Stephane Sandy: A conventional off-spinner who, like Obed Yosef, relies on accuracy, Stephane Sandy has been all over the batsmen in this Betbarter Vanuatu T10 Blast and he’s done it with utmost ease. In the four overs, he’s bowled in this competition thus far, Sandy has astonishingly conceded just 20 runs, while also picking two wickets in the process. His spell against the Panthers, 2-1-3-1, is, in fact, the second most economical spell of the Vanuatu T20 Blast, behind Yosef’s burst with the new ball versus the Bulls. 

Betbarter Vanuatu T10 Blast Team of the Week: Joshua Rasu, Nalin Nipiko, Clement Tommy, Andrew Mansale, Wesley Viraliuliu, Simpson Obed, Philip Tsione, Eddie Mansale, Obed Yosef, Tony Tamata, Stephane Sandy

Get updates! Follow us on

Open all