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New Zealand Maori make Pacifica final 7 February 2001
New Zealand Maori and Fiji will play out the final of the inaugural Pacifica Cricket Championships in Auckland tomorrow. The Pacifica Cricket Championships entered the pressure stage today, with the qualifiers from pool play facing up in semi final action. Championship Semi Finals New Zealand Maori vs Tonga The New Zealand Maori team entered this match confident of progressing into the final, buoyed by three impressive victories in Pool B. On winning the toss they inserted Tonga, backing their bowling attack to wrest the initiative early in the match. This move looked to have backfired as the Tongan opening batsmen progressed to 69 without loss after 20 overs. The introduction of David Little into the attack made the necessary inroads, and following the initial breakthrough, the Tongans slumped to 79/3. Holi and Vaisima combined to add 37 for the fourth wicket, but once they were separated there was a regular procession of batsmen back to the pavilion, the Tongans finishing on 159. Little returned the best figures for the Maori with 3-27 from his nine overs, with opening batsman Maunaloa Faivakimoano continuing his impressive tournament performance with 43. The New Zealand Maori batted sensibly against tight Tongan at the start of their innings, conscious of what rested on the result of this match. Opening batsman Phillip Otto was the backbone of the innings with 39, while Robbie Bird crashed 49 from only 33 deliveries, as the Maori again showed their class in running to a five-wicket win. Fiji vs Papua New Guinea Fiji entered this semi final as hot favorites, having made no race of their three matches in Pool A. This confidence may have worked against them, as the well performed Papua New Guinea new ball pair of Gaudi and Raka reduced the dangerous Fijian top order to 11-3. Former New South Wales and Canterbury all-rounder Neil Maxwell called on all his experience to dig Fiji out of this early trouble, compiling a fine half century and adding 59 for the fourth wicket with Seci Tuiwai, and taking the score to 100 before being dismissed. Taione Batina took responsibility for increasing the Fijian total after Maxwell's dismissal, before unfortunately being run out for 50. Papua New Guinea would have been happy at restricting Fiji to 166, and optimistic of their chances of chasing the total. Best of the bowlers was Rarua Dikana with Three for 28. The Papua New Guineans suffered early set backs, but continued to play attractive attacking cricket. The Fijians were quickly reminded that they had a game on their hands as the ball frequently went to, and often over the boundary. The Fijians' greater experience proved the difference in the match, as they were able to contain the Papua New Guineans and create the pressure that lead to wickets. The Fijians didn't emerge without a scare however, as the Papua New Guineans added 36 for the last wicket to take them within 14 runs of victory. Playoff Semi Finals Samoa vs Vanuatu Samoa entered this match without a win to their credit in the tournament to date, and were determined to change this statistic against a Vanuatu side who had looked useful in their pool matches. Winning the toss, the Samoans gave first use of the wicket to the Vanuatu batsmen, and proceeded to turn on a fine bowling and fielding effort that continually built pressure on the batsmen. Wickets fell regularly, with the only partnership of note being 30 runs for the seventh wicket. Edward Annandale was superb for Samoa, removing the first three batsmen with the new ball and finishing with figures of four for 29 from 10 overs. The Samoans took a steady approach to their chase, helped by some wayward bowling that accelerated the scoring via the extras column. Samoa reached 44 without loss, but Vanuatu maintained slim hopes of victory by securing four for 16 runs in the middle stages. The total was not enough however and the Samoans went through to a comfortable victory. New Caledonia vs Cook Islands The Cook Islands had shown glimpses of what they could do during pool play, and would have been disappointed to have let Papua New Guinea take the second qualifying spot in Pool B. They were determined to put their best performance on the park against the competition's new boys. Batting first, the Cook Islands constructed an efficient innings, finishing at 301/9 from their 50 overs. Teanini Koroa top scored with 85, receiving excellent support from Pita Teaea Glassie (43), Tunatu Kauvai (42) and Tinolei Etita (35). For the New Caledonians it was another learning experience for a team that will take away a great deal of cricketing lessons from this tournament. The Cook Islands bowlers showed no mercy to the New Caledonians, dismissing them for 71 in the 22nd over. Kauvai followed up his batting performance with four wickets. Scoreboards Tonga 159 (M Faivakimoana 43, K Vaisima 23, D Little 3-27, L Kelly 2-16, T Topia 2-31) vs New Zealand Maori 160-5 ( R Bird 49, P Otto 33, Faivakimoano 3-42) New Zealand Maori win by 5 wickets Fiji 166 (N Maxwell 50, T Batina 50, R Dikana 3-28, R Vagi 2-28, T Gaudi 2-33) vs Papua New Guinea 152 (J Keimelo 23, J Ovia 21, Maxwell 4-26, Batina 3-40, J Bulabelavu 2-25) Fiji win by 14 runs Vanuatu 97 (A Nasak 24, E Annandale 4-29, L Sinaumea 2-3, D Seuoti 2-14) vs Samoa 98-4 (K Iakopo 27, Sinaumea 21 not out) Samoa win by 6 wickets Cook Islands 301-9 (T Koroa 85, T Glassie 43, T Kauvau 42, T Etita 35) vs New Caledonia 70 (Kauvai 4-37) Cook Islands win by 231 runs. Finals Draw
Pacifica Cricket Championship Final
Third Place Playoff
Fifth Place Playoff
Seventh Place Playoff
© CricInfo
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