PNG Lewas

In a winner takes all final round robin match at the East Asia-Pacific Qualifier, Samoa were put into bat and slumped to one run for two wickets after losing both openers in the first three overs.

Captain Regina Lili'I (32 off 45 balls) and Lelia Bourne (19 off 22 balls) stabilised the innings with a 43-run partnership before a mini-collapse saw Samoa lose three wickets in five balls.

From there the Samoans scraped through to post 79 for 9 from their 20 overs.

In yesterday’s match between Samoa and Japan, the trend of bowling first continued as Samoa sent Japan in.

Japan never looked like setting a competitive total with a run rate of under two runs an over for most of the match.

Some late hitting from Rio Endo (9 not out) brought some spark to the last quarter of the innings but it was too late and Japan could only manage 49 runs from their 20 overs.

RNZI reports the hosts opted to bat first in Apia but slumped to be 37 for 5 after 19 overs.

Ravini Oa was the chief destroyer with 3 for 19 from seven overs, including the key wickets of Regina Lili'I and Matile Uliao.

Perelini Mulitalo top-scored with 35 not out before Samoa were eventually dismissed for 95 in the 40th over.