The East Asia-Pacific Women's Trophy began today in Sano, Japan, with Papua New Guinea winning their two tournament matches. As well as PNG and the hosts, participating teams include the Cook Islands, Samoa and Vanuatu. A "Cricket Without Borders" XI will also play exhibition matches against the participating teams.

Papua New Guinea played Vanuatu in the morning match, batting first after winning the toss. They scored 110-7 from their 20 overs, largely thanks to 24 from captain Pauke Siaka and 28 extras. They bowled out Vanuatu cheaply for 43 to win by 67 runs.

It was an even more comprehensive win in the afternoon game for Papua New Guinea. Put into bat by the Cook Islands, they racked up 162-2 from their 20 overs, Pauke Siaka top scoring with an unbeaten 42.

The Cook Islands were then restricted to just 77-8 from their 20 overs, PNG winning by 85 runs. Tanya Ruma bowled superbly to finish with figures of 3-8 from her four overs.

The Cook Islands had been on the receiving end of another big defeat in their morning match. They were bowled out for just 39 by Samoa - with Regina Lili'i taking 3-5 - who promptly knocked off their runs inside 5 overs to win by 10 wickets.

Samoa then took on the hosts - who had beaten the Cricket Without Borders XI earlier - in the afternoon. Batting first after losing the toss, a 64 run partnership for the fourth wicket between Regina Lili'i and Lily Mulivai had them reasonably well placed on 88-3 in the 16th over.

But they couldn't capitalise on that start, and they were restricted to 106-7 in their 20 overs, Shizuka Kabota taking 3-29.

Japan's reply started with a 63 run opening partnership between Ema Kuribayashi and Mariko Yamamoto in 11 overs. The run scoring scored from that point, and the game went right down to the last ball, from which three were needed. Four byes past the wicket-keeper saw a rather tame end to the game, with Japan winning by 5 wickets.

Tomorrow's tournament matches will see the hosts play the Cook Islands in the morning and Vanuatu in the afternoon. The other match in the morning will be between Vanuatu and Samoa, with the latter taking on Papua New Guinea in the afternoon.

Results

Papua New Guinea beat Vanuatu by 67 runs
Sano, 7th May 2014
Papua New Guinea 110-7 (20 overs)
Vanuatu 43 (15.1 overs)

Samoa beat Cook Islands by 10 wickets Tanuma High School, 7th May
Cook Islands 39 (12.3 overs, R Lili'i 3-5)
Samoa 40-0 (4.2 overs)

Papua New Guinea beat Cook Islands by 85 runs
Sano, 7th May 2014
Papua New Guinea 162-2 (20 overs, P Siaka 42*, M Ipi 37, S Jimmy 35)
Cook Islands 77-8 (20 overs, T Ruma 3-8)

Japan beat Samoa by 5 wickets
Tanuma High School, 7th May
Samoa 106-7 (20 overs, R Lili'i 45, S Kabota 3-29)
Japan 108-5 (20 overs)