The Men’s Japan National Team recorded an emphatic win over higher ranked Bahrain to book a place in the final of the Thai Open Series with a game to spare.

After being asked to bowl first Japan made a great start as Kiefer Yamamoto-Lake (flown in at short notice as injury cover), struck in the first over.

Despite that success, it was the only over of seam delivered as the Japanese spinners took centre stage.

There were two wickets each for Ibby Takahashi, Sabaorish Ravichandran, Makoto Taniyama and Benjamin Ito-Davis, while Charlie Hara-Hinze also chipped in meaning all six bowlers tasted success, Ravichandran taking his 50th international wicket in the process.

Bahrain, ranked 29th to Japan’s 44th coming into this tournament, had no answers and were rolled over for just 87 in 19.2 overs with only opener Prashant Kurup showing any resistance with an obdurate 24 from 48 balls.

There may have been a flutter of nerves among supporters when Japan captain and talisman Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming edged behind in the second over, but Abhishek Anand and Esam Rahman certainly did not seem bothered.

Rahman was especially belligerent, taking 24 off his first nine balls, and the pair combined to hammer 21 runs off the 4th over to take Japan to 45 for one, more than halfway in the blink of an eye.

Although Rahman fell in the 5th over for 34 from only 15 balls, the damage was done with a partnership of 50 in just 20 balls.

Player of the Match Anand kept going to finish 37 not out from only 17 balls, and Hara-Hinze even got in on the six-hitting act, crashing a blow straight down the ground to bring the scores level before Japan completed the rout with a full 13 overs and eight wickets in hand.

It was a remarkable victory over the pre-tournament favourites and means Japan will play in the Saturday showpiece regardless of the result against Bhutan tomorrow.