Port Vila is now home to its first cricket academy — the Interchange Academy — officially launched by the Vanuatu Cricket Association last month.

Vanuatu Cricket’s High Performance Manager, Chris Laffan, says the new academy is a major step forward for developing young talent and strengthening the association’s player development pathway.

“The Academy adds to our pathway system here in Port Vila. We already have strong programs at the open age level. Our women’s team tours almost every three months — with three tours this year, and likely the same in 2026,” Laffan said.

He added that both Vanuatu’s boys and girls teams will compete in the 2026 Under-19 World Cup qualifiers for the East Asia Pacific region, highlighting a growing high-performance culture within the sport.

“What’s exciting is that this academy allows us to identify and train players as young as 12, and provide them with years of high-performance coaching to prepare them for international cricket,” he said.

Laffan also thanked Interchange for its support, calling the company a key partner in helping make the academy a success.

“Interchange has really backed our initiative, and we’re grateful for their commitment to providing everything the program needs to succeed.”