News & Articles

Record Breaking Day in East Asia Cup

  • 2024-02-15
  • News & Articles
  • National Team (Men)

The Men’s Japan National Team had a mixed day at the East Asia Cup in Hong Kong, setting world records in the morning before slipping to defeat in the afternoon.

The overwhelming positive from the day was the astonishing 258-run partnership between Lachlan Yamamoto-Lake and Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming against China, the highest ever partnership for any wicket in T20 Internationals, surpassing the previous best by 22 runs.

That partnership set up a crushing 180-run win for Japan, the biggest winning margin for the team to go with the highest ever total. The stars with the ball were Kazuma Kato-Stafford who collected his first wickets for Japan with figures of three for 15, while veteran Makoto Taniyama earned his best T20I figures with three wickets for just five runs.

The day belonged to the opening batters however. It was a maiden international century for Yamamoto-Lake, which came off just 54 balls, and he ended with Japan’s highest ever score: 134 not out from 68 balls with 12 sixes.

Kadowaki-Fleming was left to play the anchor role, but still did enough to post his second T20I hundred, bringing up the mark from 49 deliveries and ending 109 not out from 53 balls with 11 sixes of his own.

Speaking after the match the captain said: “It was nice to play the anchor role and watch Lachie smashing it, we didn’t know about the record and it’s probably something that will be more special when we look back at the end of our careers. Out there we were just enjoying ourselves.”

Japan took the winning momentum into game two as they tried to avenge yesterday’s defeat to Hong Kong, and started incredibly with the ball. Reo Sakurano-Thomas and Declan Suzuki-McComb removed the two openers before Sabaorish Ravichandran ripped out the middle order to have Hong Kong reeling at 54 for five after eight overs.

A partnership of 83 from 53 balls between Yasim Murtaza (48) and Zeeshan Ali (40), propelled the hosts to an eventual 155 all out in the final over, with Ravichandran taking the first ever five wicket haul at the famous Tin Kwong Recreation Ground, finishing with five for 22.

In a game where momentum swung regularly, Hong Kong quickly got into the driving seat as Japan were reduced to 67 for seven in the 12th over and the game looked dead and buried.

An entertaining partnership of 40 between Ibby Takahashi (25) and Kazuma Kato-Stafford (21) offered a glimmer of hope as Japan still needed 11-an-over going into the final quarter of the innings.

Ultimately though, the Hong Kong fielders held their catches and the bowlers maintained their discipline to close out a 27-run win and book their place in Saturday’s final. Anas Khan was the pick of the bowlers, finishing with four for 30.

Japan will face China in the afternoon tomorrow, aiming to confirm their own stop in the final.

Cricket Hong Kong Official Social Media

JCA Official Social Media

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