New Zealand's leading Maori cricketers have been named today to take part in the first Pacifica Cricket Championship to be held in Auckland from February 3-8.

The tournament is part of the International Cricket Council's development programme and will include teams from Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Tonga, Samoa, Cook Islands, Vanuatu and New Caledonia.

Hosting the tournament which will be mainly played at Colin Maiden Park, but also at Keith Hay Park and Melville Park are New Zealand Cricket and Auckland Cricket.

The team, which will be coached by Mark Bracewell of Dunedin, is:

Leigh Kelly (captain-Hutt Valley), David Little (Hutt Valley), Ashley Turner (Hutt Valley), Robbie Bird (Hutt Valley), Jonathon McNamee (Hutt Valley), Ben Cochrane (Whangarei), Phillip Otto (Hamilton), Tane Topia (Auckland), Jesse Ryder (Napier), Gene Waller (Taupo), Jonathon Paine (Napier), Thomas Nukunuku (Hutt Valley), Peter McGlashan (Hawke's Bay).

© CricInfo