The Japan Men’s Under 19 team earned their first win of the ICC Men’s U19 Cricket World Cup East Asia Pacific Qualifier in Darwin, Australia, defeating previously unbeaten Fiji by eight wickets. 

Fiji won the toss and chose to bat, but Japan made sure that was the only thing that went the Fijians’ way as opening bowlers Kazuma Kato-Stafford and Kiefer Yamamoto-Lake gave absolutely nothing away in their opening spell of 12 overs which left Fiji 20 for two, with Kato-Stafford collecting his first wickets of the competition. 

However, it was the introduction of Shotaro Hiratuska that really wrecked havoc for Japan, wickets coming regularly for the off-spinner. His first four wickets came at a cost of just 14 runs as Japan had Fiji in a spin at 60 for eight, although a spot of late hitting from the Fijian number ten, Dawson Tawake (17 off 20), damaged his figures a little. Hiratsuka won the battle eventually to finish with figures of five for 32, only the third time a Japan player has ever taken a five-wicket haul in an Under 19 International. 

Japan lost Nikhil Pol early in the chase, but it was relatively plain sailing from there as Aditya Phadke and captain Koji Hardgrave-Abe took Japan past the halfway mark before Phadke was pinned LBW for 16 from 21 balls. 

Hardgrave-Abe (28*) and Hiratsuka (11*) had led Japan to 81 for two against New Zealand in their previous match, and the partnership again looked solid as they cruised to the target. The captain was particularly savage on the spin of Jazary Browne, striking a six and a four in the 12th over, before a delightful off-drive from Hiratsuka a short while later took Japan to the verge of victory, which was duly wrapped up with eight wickets and 35 overs to spare. 

Japan will take on Vanuatu tomorrow in the morning fixture as the competition continues.