History of Fiji cricket

The first attempt at an organised club was in January 1874, when the Levuka Cricket Club was formed. The entrance fee was 10 shillings and the annual subscription was one pound - quite a substantial sum in those days. Although the Vagadaci ground was used for the first match, the Levuka club first practiced on the Police parade ground at Totogo. The first match against the crew of the HMS Pearl on Feb 21st 1874 took place at Vagadaci, the wicket being described as "not the best", one end being very bumpy and the other bad for the longstop. Levuka won, and the band of the HMS Pearl was on the ground to play the National Anthem.

The Pearl left for other parts of the group and played at Salia Levu on Taveuni and at Vuna where a Taveuni team beat the Pearl. Other ships, The "Rosario" and "Dido" also played matches in Levuka and Lomaloma and "Dido" played and beat a team of Taveuni Europeans at Holmhurst Estate, Taveuni. Games in Levuka continued between various combinations, Army, Medical, Marrieds, Singles, Bar and Church and soon. In 1877, games played at Balaga on the side of Nasavusavu Bay were recorded.

With all the interest in the game shown by the Europeans, it was inevitable that, given a little encouragement, the Fijian population would get involved.

However it took the Private Secretaries to Governor George William Des Vouex to get things moving in that regard. Des Vouex whose reign as Governor began in 1878, was a keen cricketer and he chose as his PS's Hon.J C Amherst who taught cricket to the Armed Native Constabulary, and then in 1883 Sir Edward Wallington an Oxford Blue. Des Vouex, in his memoirs claims the introduction of cricket to the native Fijians as an achievement of his regime.

In these memoirs he explains the exceptional speed and accuracy of Fijian fielders as being acquired in the playing of a game called veimoli". He describes this game as follows - two men stand about 25 feet apart armed with hard unripe oranges, which they throw at one another alternately. Snow makes the claim that the Fijian agility in dodging these short range persistent oranges gave rise to the myth that Fijians could avoid a bullet by dodging at the flash of a gun. It is generally accepted that the start of Fijian involvement in cricket in an organised manner started in 1878 with Des Vouex's governorship, with the efforts of Amherst and Wallington, and it is interesting that this was the year of the first visit of an Australian cricket side to England. Cricket was soon widespread in Fiji and matches are recorded in the interior - Colo - and far up the Sigatoka river.