Japan win EAP Women's Championship

Japan has won a rain affected final of the Pepsi ICC East Asia-Pacific Women's Championship to advance to next year's global qualifying event.

Japan proved too strong in a match reduced to 14 overs a side restricting PNG to 4-58 then chasing down the runs in 11 overs with eight wickets in hand.

"I am just so happy to win this game because we have been working so very hard for a long time now and this makes it all worth it," said Japanese captain and player of the match Ema Kuribayashi who played virtually on one leg for the entire match.

"It was really hard and painful to run, but I know I had to bat so just focused hard on hitting the ball," continued Kuribayashi.

Japanese coach Chris Ferguson praised his players for their fighting spirit and paid special tribute to injured captain Kuribayashi who he said put in a performance more courageous than he had ever seen on a cricket field.

"To be honest I have never seen anything like that before, she is pretty much shot now so I think I will need to try to get her a row to herself on the plane home," he said.

PNG won the toss and elected to bat in the difficult conditions and wasted no time revealing their intention to score quick runs belting 23 off the first two overs. Norma Ovasuru did the most damage with three great boundaries.

However when Japan introduced injured captain Ema Kuribayashi into the attack the momentum swung strongly in Japan?s favour. The off-spinner began with a wicket maiden and set the tone for the remainder of the innings with a terrific spell of bowling that saw her finish with figures of 2-11.

A couple of late strikes from Tanya Ruma gave the PNG strike attack something to defend finishing 4-58 off 14 overs.

In the run chase PNG young gun Ruma clean bowled Japanese star Mariko Yamamoto with the first ball of the innings and PNG were up and about.
However that brought Kuribayashi to the crease and along with Miho Kanno the pair demonstrated coolness under pressure to put together a match winning 45 run partnership in challenging conditions to set up the win.

"I'm speechless to be honest," said Ferguson. "It was just a gutsy win from everyone and we are just so proud of the performance."

The win gives Japan back-to-back East Asia-Pacific Women?s Championships after they won the event on home soil in 2010. They will now head to the Global Qualifier early next year to fight for a place in the 2014 World T20.

Brief scores:

Final (Reduced to 14 overs)

At Kazaa Field: PNG 4-58, 14.0 overs (Ovasuru 29, Ruma 16; Kuribayashi 2-11); defeated by Japan 2-59, 11 overs (Kanno 28 not out, Kuribayashi 21; Ruma 1-13)
Japan won by 8 wickets