Vanuatu defies coronavirus shutdown with women's cricket final

SYDNEY – The Pacific island nation of Vanuatu is defying the coronavirus-led shutdown of global sport by scheduling their Women's Super League cricket final and streaming it on social media on Saturday.

Most sport around the world, including all international cricket, has been brought to a halt because of the social distancing measures put in place to control the pandemic.

❗️Big day tomorrow❗️

Here's a message from our CEO @Deita551 to you 😊
Lukim yu tumoro! 🇻🇺❗️ pic.twitter.com/1SWkAUBJLq

— Vanuatu Cricket (@vanuatu_cricket) April 24, 2020

Vanuatu, some 2,000 kilometres off the east coast of Australia, has a population of 300,000 but has not yet recorded a single case of COVID-19.

"We're lucky here in Vanuatu and life is returning to normal so we thought it was our duty to provide the world with some live sport," Shane Deitz, chief executive of Vanuatu Cricket, said in a video posted on Twitter.

"We really hope that everyone around the world can tune in and watch some fantastic cricket coming from Vanuatu and break up the boredom you must be suffering stuck in your living rooms."

Power House Sharks will play Tafea Black Birds in the semi-finals in the morning before the winners take on Mele Bulls in the final of the four-team competition.

We are getting ready for the excitement! @Deita551 coming to you again from the Vanuatu Cricket Grounds with some important updates❗️🇻🇺 pic.twitter.com/VXNvukqeLH

— Vanuatu Cricket (@vanuatu_cricket) April 25, 2020

The women's final was preceded by a men's exhibition match and streamed live from the capital Port Vila on the Vanuatu Cricket Twitter feed and Facebook page.

Reuters