Samoa begins with comprehensive victory

Samoa proved too strong for Japan in the morning session of the 2013 Pepsi ICC East Asia-Pacific Men's Championship's opening day.

After winning the toss and electing to field on a greenish Waikaraka Park 1 track, Samoa were made to wait eight overs for their first wicket as Japanese openers Alexander Patmore and Tomoki Ota patiently compiled a 39-run partnership before Ota sliced a short ball outside off stump from Daniel Burgess straight to Sean Cotter at third man to be out for 8.

After the openers were parted, Japan struggled to force the pace against Samoan captain Ben Mailata, whose off-spin proved difficult to get away, and the pressure resulted in Naoki Miyaji dragging his foot out to be stumped for two by a sharp bit of glovework from keeper Taitoe Kaisala.

Ian West, one of a number of Samoan players to ply their trade at Premier level in Auckland club cricket, was brought on and struck with his medium-pacers immediately to remove Shunsuke Hashiba for 1 as Japan struggled to cope with the swing on offer to the seamers.

The day only got better for West who, after knocking back Naotsune Miyaji's off-stump to send the batsman back for a duck, cleaned through the Japanese tail to nab his first five-wicket haul for Samoa, claiming 5-10 in his allotted four overs.

In the midst of West's damage, Patmore bravely hit out at Mailata, crashing two sixes over long on and backward square leg in the space of three deliveries before holing out on the leg side attempting a third. His 43 proved to be exactly half of Japan's eventual 86 all out.

Samoa chose to approach their chase the slow and steady way, with Geoffrey Clarke and Sean Cotter ticking along at around a run-a-ball after Samoan player-coach and former New Zealand Test player Murphy Su'a was dismissed for 7 by the Miyaji brothers in the 6th over.

Clarke's departure for 28 saw Mailata join Cotter and the pair, both of Auckland's Eden Roskill Cricket Club, took Samoa home with 8 wickets and 44 balls to spare, Cotter sweeping Shohei Ogawa behind backward square for the winning runs.

There was a happy expression on Man of the Match West at the game's conclusion.

"It was a real good start and a good performance all-round. We were really good in the field, and our wicketkeeper Taitoe did a really good job standing up as there was a bit in the pitch and it was seaming around, putting pressure on the batsmen and keeping them in their crease."

"Our batters also did their job, chasing a relatively low score but you still have to do the job and do the little things well. That's got us off to a very good start, but there's bigger things ahead and we start again in the afternoon [against Papua New Guinea]."

On Waikaraka Park 2, Vanuatu captain Andrew Mansale led from the front with a stellar all-round performance as the Cook Islands were overcome by 118 runs.

After the skipper won the toss and elected to bat, Mansale and Jonathon Dunn (69) added 138 in 14 overs before Mansale cut loose, falling just short of a superb hundred after needing three off the final ball to end up on 99 not out from just 52 balls, having plundered 12 fours and three sixes as Vanuatu racked up 221-4.

Cook Islands never threatened the tall total, despite 31 from Patiiamai Ataela, as Mansale added two wickets and catches to his run-tally and success at the coin toss earlier in the day to cap off a dream start at the tournament for Vanuatu.

In the third game of the morning, Fiji was rampant against the young Indonesian side.

After inserting their opposition, Fiji strangled the Indonesian batsmen and wickets fell with regularity, Jone Batinibulu the main beneficiary with 4 for 7. 16.2 overs were all that was required to bowl Indonesia out for 46.

Aided by nine wides, Sekove Ravoka hit four boundaries in his unbeaten 28 to see his side across the line without loss in only 5.3 overs in a comprehensive 10-wicket win for the Fijians.

The tournament continues with a second round of matches on Sunday, to be played in the afternoon.

Sunday's Matches (Afternoon) - Round 2

Papua New Guinea v Samoa
Waikaraka Park 1

Cook Islands v Indonesia
Waikaraka Park 2

Japan v Vanuatu

Waikaraka Park 6

Scores in Brief

At Waikaraka Park 1

Japan 86 all out, 18.5 overs (A Patmore 43; I West 5-10, B Mailata 2-25)

Samoa 88-2, 12.4 overs (S Cotter 42*, G Clarke 28)

Samoa won by 8 wickets

Man of the Match: Ian West (Samoa)

At Waikaraka Park 2

Vanuatu 221-4, 20 overs (A Mansale 99*, J Dunn 69)

Cook Islands 103-6, 20 overs (P Ataela 31, A Stevic 24*; K Tari 2-6, A Mansale 2-10)

Vanuatu won by 118 runs

Man of the Match: Andrew Mansale (Vanuatu)

At Waikaraka Park 6

Indonesia 46 all out, 16.2 overs (J Batinbalu 4-7, S Draunivudi 2-9, T Tavo 2-10)

Fiji 49-0, 5.3 overs (S Ravoka 28*)

Fiji won by 10 wickets

Man of the Match: Jone Batinibulu (Fiji)