Japan's caution costs them

Auckland’s weather had the final say on day four of the EAP Trophy with two matches abandoned without a ball being bowled and a 26-over match between the first- and second-placed sides abandoned when the sides were taken from the field by the umpires six overs before a Duckworth-Lewis calculation would have provided a result.

Japan’s decision to field was rewarded when Cook Islands' innings disintegrated from a position of relative strength at 71 for 4 to a calamitous 79. Patrick Giles-Jones (3 for 11), Takura Hagihara (3 for 15) and Masanori Abe (3 for 24) were the destroyers.

Japan’s patient response was understandable chasing such a moderate target, but may have ultimately cost them the chance of taking both points on offer in the match. With light rain falling late in the day, Cook Islands captain Chris Brown protested to the umpires that his bowlers were at risk of injury due to the underfoot conditions and after a lengthy deliberation the covers were called for. Twenty minutes later the match was abandoned as the time available was no longer enough to bowl the six overs to reach the 20 required to constitute a match.