The Grand Final match yesterday between Samoa and CPL PNG Lewas for the ICC EAP T/20 World Cup Qualifiers was taken out once more by the PNG side.
The Lewas gave the Samoans a painful beating by 6 wickets. Another shot at the World Cup, another shot at bettering their last performance and another shot at gaining One Day International status.
Those were more than enough reasons for the Lewas to bring the 6-wicket win home yesterday in Sano, Japan against Samoa.
With much anticipation of the decider yesterday, the PNG ladies knew, losing was not an option. So when they took the crease, they played their cards well.
Lewas won the toss through Captain Pauke Siaka but the decision to send Samoa in to bat first was one that proved fruitful. The Samoans were immediately put under pressure through Ravini Oa and Sibona Jimmy who cleared two wickets in just three overs.
A Samoa Captain, Regina Lili’i and Leila Bourne partnership steadied their runs for a while. Until the Lewas struck again, this time three more Samoan wickets fell and it was a sinking ship for them, from then on.
Soon afterwards, at 9/79 in their allotted 20 overs, Samoa bowed out of the first inning.
The Lewas were on top of their game, with a comfortable 80-run target.
A top order Ruma-Jimmy partnership saw an accumulative of 38 runs in 6.3 overs. A little later, Samoa gave PNG some trouble, it picked PNG’s four wickets, consecutively, when the Lewas only had 45 runs to their name.
Brenda Tau and Pauke Siaka then took the crease, rescuing the Lewas, with an accumulative scoreline of 45 runs. That partnership remained intact as the Lewas were brought home with a 6 wicket under 19 overs.
For now, their sights have turned to the World Cup, which will be held later this year or early 2018.
