Hong Kong won their first ever Men’s East Asia Cup title, overcoming a resilient Japan team in the final at Tin Kwon Recreation Ground, Mongkok.

Winning the toss and bowling first the story of the match was that every time Japan landed a blow it seemed that Hong Kong landed two.

Japan struck early when Reo Sakurano-Thomas removed the dangerous Martin Coetzee, only for Hong Kong captain Nizakat Khan to play a captains innings with a 48-ball 81.

He pus on 82 with Anshy Rath (30) before Japan struck three times in 10 balls during the 10th and 11th overs through Saboarish Ravichandran (three for 41) and Sakurano-Thomas (three for 40).

At 99 for four Japan had hopes of keeping the target below 180, but Hong Kong rallied again with  batters 6,7 and 8 striking 10 sixes between them to plunder 107 runs from the last seven overs and take the total to 219 for seven.

Hong Kong took that late innings momentum into their bowling performance, taking four wickets in the powerplay and five in the first 10 overs as Japan slipped to 73 for five at the drinks break.

Decland Suzuki-McComb (37) and Ibby Takhashi (28) showed superb fight in a partnership of 52 in 27 balls, and after they fell the rest of the tail took up the fight. 15-year-old Charlie Hinze finished unbeated on 22 from 16 balls as Japan ended the innings 184 for eight as Hong Kong earned the win by 35 runs.

Speaking after the match captain Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming was quick to highlight the positives for his young side, while also expressing disappointment in back-to-back tours which end with four wins and six losses across the three weeks, albeit all six defeats coming against higher ranked opposition.

He said: “Our progress isn’t going to be linear, but we do want to get some wins on the board, the results are probably a fair reflection of where we’re at, but I think we are improving.

The Japan Cricket Association would like to thank Cricket Hong Kong for hosting the tournament, the first in more than five years, and congratulate them on their win.

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