ICC World Cricket League East Asia-Pacific Region Division One T20: Vanuatu v Samoa – First Innings Recap
Vanuatu has piled up a challenging score of 185 for the loss of three wickets in the first innings of the Twenty20 contest against Samoa, in an
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/ICC-World-Cup-2011-c100625 World Cricket League East Asia-Pacific Region Division One match, played at Port Moresby, today, July 5, 2011.
The toss was won by the Vanuatu skipper, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Andrew-Mansale-c44493, who decided to bat first, aiming to set a mammoth total by using batting-friendly conditions. However, the two openers failed to justify the decision, losing their wickets within the first four overs
of the innings.
The first blow hit the Vanuatu side when Loutala Fuinaomo bowled http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Lazaro-Carlot-c72357 out on the fifth delivery of the first over. Although, Carlot got off to a thrilling start by hitting a lovely boundary, he could not make the most of the conditions and got out
after scoring just five runs.
The early wicket put the batting side under immense pressure which eventually helped Samoa to pick up another wicket in the fourth over. http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Lenica-Natapei-c72462 tried to steal a quick single but a direct throw by Pritchard showed him the way back to the pavilion.
The umpire didn’t take http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Short-c90107 of his crease.
Natapei walked out of the ground at an individual score of 11. The http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Vanuatu-c3038 side was two-down at 25 and the Samoa bowlers were on fire, making the new ball talk.
However, the skipper, Mansale and the 21-year-old http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Simpson-Hopeman-Obed-c90458 took the responsibility in the middle-order and consolidated the innings. Both batsmen took their time to settle-down at the wicket and subsequently started playing attacking cricket.
While the two batsmen racked up 151-run-stand for the third wicket, the skipper led from the front and guided his side to reach a decent total of 185 in the allotted 20 overs. Obed also gave full support to his team, scoring an impressive innings of 71 runs
including eight boundaries and three towering sixes.
Although, Obed’s put in a great contribution, the unbeaten 85-run-knock by the skipper played a pivotal role in Vanuatu’s fine performance in the first innings. Mansale struck 10 fours and also hit the ball of the park on a couple of occasions.
From Samoa’s bowling department, Fuinamo and Sean Cotter grabbed one each whereas no other bowler was able to open his account.
The Samoa side now requires 186 runs to win the match at a scoring rate of over nine runs per over.
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