JCA Partners with Sri Lanka Cricket

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On the 9th of March, the JCA officially formed a partnership with Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) that aims to further develop the friendship between the two countries through Cricket exchanges.

Through the Partnership, exchange of players, teams, and staff are bing planned to support the development of Cricket in Japan.

Deputy Japanese Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Mr. Kotaro Katsuki and Mr. Priyantha Kariyapperuma, Goodwill Ambassador of Japanese Cricket attended the signing of the MOU between SLC President Mr. Shammi Silva and JCA CEO Naoki Alex Miyaji.

We would like to thank SLC, Mr. Silva and Mr. Kariyapperuma for their kind support.

We would also like to thank the Deputy Ambassador of Japan to Sri Lanka, Mr. Kotaro Katsuki for initiating the development of relations with SLC and supporting us through the process.

New Structure for National Academy & Trial Dates Confirmed

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The Japan National Academy structure will undergo a small change from 2024 onwards as the Under 15 Squad becomes an Under 16 Squad with the trials taking place on Sunday 7th April at the Sano International Cricket Ground

The change is made to be in line with the Asia Cricket Council tournament structures and will be based around those guidelines. 

To be selected in the Under 16 National Squad a player must meet the JCA Eligibility Criteria and must also be born on or after 1st September 2008. 

To register, players must complete the following form: https://forms.gle/4DcFYEBTe9hv1xYZ9 and the day will be run by Under 16 Head Coach Vinay Iyer with Under 19 Head Coach Ardene Ruhode in support. The event will run from 10:00 – 16:00.

The deadline to register is Sunday 17th March.

There will be no official trials for the Japan National Academy Men’s Under 19 Squad as past performances such as in the 2023 Under 19 Japan Cricket League will be considered along with performance at the 2024 Futures League for that squad. 

For any further information please contact: jca-info@cricket.or.jp.

Trial Date Confirmed For Women’s Japan National Squad and Women’s Development Squad

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The trials for the Women’s Japan National Squad will be held at the Sano International Cricket Ground, and registrations are open.

The trials will be held on Saturday 6th April and are open to anyone who believes they might have what it takes to play international cricket. 

With the announcement of cricket as an Olympic Sport in 2028 we are expecting to see many athletes from other sports try their hand at cricket and we look forward to welcoming them. 

To register all players have to do is complete the following form: https://forms.gle/FYauNi63GESyzVtc9. 

The deadline for registration is Friday 22nd March.  

If anyone has any questions please contact Head Coach Ardene Ruhode directly at d-ruhode@cricket.or.jp and he will be happy to offer advice. 

[About the Women’s Japan National Squad]

The Women’s Japan National Squad is an annual training squad consisting of promising players. The aim of the squad is to build an inspirational Women’s National Team. Women’s Japan National Teams that play International Cricket are selected from this squad.

[About the Women’s Development Squad]

The Women’s Development Squad is an annual training squad consisting of talented players. The aim of the squad is to develop players that can represent Japan in the future.

Women’s National Team Partner

  • Mitsui Knowledge Industry Co., Ltd.

Mitsui Knowledge Industry Co., Ltd. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Mitsui & Co., Ltd. specialized in providing services and products related to ICT (information and communication technology). Partnering with various global ICT vendors and supporting more than 1,500 companies, MKI offers best-in-class solutions to customers.

Website: https://www.mki.co.jp/english/

Regional Trials for JPL Confirmed

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The dates for Regional Trials for the Japan Premier League teams have been confirmed today. 

Any male player with ambitions of representing Japan should first be selected and perform well for their regional team.

All squads will be selected according to the National Squad Player Eligibility & Selection Policy and with a view to being successful on the international stage both now and in the future.

The event dates are below, in date order, along with the registration form.

Kansai Chargers Regional Trials:

South Kanto Super Kings, West Kanto Hurricanes Regional Trials:

North Kanto Lions Regional Trials:

East Kanto Sunrisers Regional Trials:

We wish all players the best of luck in their efforts to represent Japan.

Futures League 2024 Registrations Open!

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The third edition of the Futures League will run on Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th April 2024 at the Sano International Cricket Ground, and registrations are open. 

The registration form can be completed here: 

https://forms.gle/1WeDsARGcnPvUfBU6

The deadline for registrations is Friday 15th March.

The tour team event will have squads limited to 14 players each, but those who are not selected are encouraged to come to the ground each day for some practice and to act as potential reserves. 

In order to participate, players must be aged under 23 on 31st August 2024 (meaning their date of birth must be after 1st September 2001), and eligible to represent Japan through nationality, place or birth or residency. 

Due to a change in policy, the Futures League will also act as the trials for the National Academy Under 19 Squad.

All matches on SICG One will be live streamed and we are excited to showcase the next generation of Japanese talent. 

Hong Kong Win East Asia Cup

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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.

Cricket Hong Kong Official Social Media

JCA Official Social Media

Men’s National Team Partner

  • Mitsui Knowledge Industry Co., Ltd.

Mitsui Knowledge Industry Co., Ltd. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Mitsui & Co., Ltd. specialized in providing services and products related to ICT (information and communication technology). Partnering with various global ICT vendors and supporting more than 1,500 companies, MKI offers best-in-class solutions to customers.

Website: https://www.mki.co.jp/english/

Victory Over China Earns Japan EA Cup Final Spot

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The Men’s Japan National Team earned a place in Saturday’s East Asia Cup Final thanks to a hard fought win over China.

A much changed Japan team struggled to impose themselves in the same manner as the previous match, and needed lower order runs to set a winning score.

Wataru Miyauchi made 31 at the top of the order, but his dismissal left Japan 62 for six in the 10th over.

Stand in captain Reo Sakurano (18) and MVP Muneeb Siddique Mian (28) then combined to lift the score towards a hundred, while an aggressive 17 from Marcus Thurgate helped Japan reach 143 all out with two balls remaining.

Sakurano and Declan Suzuki-McComb both struck with the new ball, but China made Japan work for their wickets.

Opening batter Deng Jinqi batted throughout the innings for an obdurate 38* while five different bowlers were among the wickets as China were restricted to 99 for eight.

The win by 44 runs means Japan completed the double over China, but go into the Final tomorrow looking for a first win over hosts Hong Kong.

Cricket Hong Kong Official Social Media

JCA Official Social Media

Men’s National Team Partner

  • Mitsui Knowledge Industry Co., Ltd.

Mitsui Knowledge Industry Co., Ltd. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Mitsui & Co., Ltd. specialized in providing services and products related to ICT (information and communication technology). Partnering with various global ICT vendors and supporting more than 1,500 companies, MKI offers best-in-class solutions to customers.

Website: https://www.mki.co.jp/english/

Record Breaking Day in East Asia Cup

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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

Men’s National Team Partner

  • Mitsui Knowledge Industry Co., Ltd.

Mitsui Knowledge Industry Co., Ltd. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Mitsui & Co., Ltd. specialized in providing services and products related to ICT (information and communication technology). Partnering with various global ICT vendors and supporting more than 1,500 companies, MKI offers best-in-class solutions to customers.

Website: https://www.mki.co.jp/english/

Hong Kong Sink Japan & China on EA Cup Day One

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Hong Kong made a flying start to the Men’s East Asia Cup, winning both their matches on the opening day of the tournament.

In the morning they swept passed China, winning comfortably by 123 runs in the first ever T20 International match between the two teams. However, things did not go all their way in the afternoon against Japan.

The two teams had met for the first time in the Asian Games last year, but is the first year that the full Hong Kong team have participated in the Men’s East Asia Cup. With Japan batting first, they were taken on by captain Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming.

Striking the ball as cleanly as ever, Kadowaki-Fleming hit six boundaries and five sixes, several out of the ground, on his way to a 53-ball 78.

After his dismissal the attack was taken up by Declan Suzuki-McComb who hit a career best 45* from 23 balls alongside Ibby Takahashi (20* from 11) in an unbroken stand of 60 from just 25 balls.

A final total of 179 for five had the visitors in confident mood, but for the second match running they ran into batters in fine form.

Jamie Atkinson had struck 156 the previous day in a local club match, and picked up where he left off with a 36-ball 68* coming in at number five. His stand of 127 from just 64 balls with Babar Hayat (52* off 30), came after Martin Coetzee made set the tone with a rapid 35 from 18 before being freakishly run-out by Sabaorish Ravichandran.

Those two would ultimately see Hong Kong home with seven wickets in hand and almost four overs to spare, suggesting that it could be a week of high scoring at the Tin Kwong Road Recreation Ground.

Japan will have a double header tomorrow, taking on China in the morning before a re-match with Hong Kong in the afternoon.

Cricket Hong Kong Official Social Media

JCA Official Social Media

Men’s National Team Partner

  • Mitsui Knowledge Industry Co., Ltd.

Mitsui Knowledge Industry Co., Ltd. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Mitsui & Co., Ltd. specialized in providing services and products related to ICT (information and communication technology). Partnering with various global ICT vendors and supporting more than 1,500 companies, MKI offers best-in-class solutions to customers.

Website: https://www.mki.co.jp/english/

Japan Women Knocked Out By Malaysia

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The Women’s Japan National Team fought hard and gave a great account of themselves in the ACC Premier Cup Quarter Final, but eventually fell short against hosts Malaysia.

An excellent performance with the ball, spearheaded by Nonoha Yasumoto’s one for eight from three overs, had restricted Malaysia to a score of 101 for three.

The other wicket-taker was Kurumi Ota, who claimed her 45th international scalp for Japan, which makes her Japan Women’s joint leading wicket-taker of all time.

Chasing 102 for victory, and a guaranteed place in the ACC Emerging Nations, was always going to be a difficult task, but Japan had hope while captain Mai Yanagida was at the crease.

Yanagida struck five boundaries on her way to 37 from 34 balls but was eventually dismissed via a calamitous run-out in the 18th over with 34 still required.

That was the first of three run outs in 12 balls and Japan eventually finished 85 for seven, an agonising 16 runs short.

Speaking after the match Head Coach Ardene Ruhode said: “It’s been a great opportunity for our team to play more matches on turf pitches, see the standard of the region and learn more about what we need to do in order to push for higher honours.”

He continued: “There have been lots of special moments on this tour Mai Yanagida making 64*, Ahilya Chandel taking four wickets in four balls, Hinase Goto making her highest ever score, so we can go home with our heads held high after making the last eight.”

ACC Official Social Media

JCA Official Social Media

Women’s National Team Partner

  • Mitsui Knowledge Industry Co., Ltd.

Mitsui Knowledge Industry Co., Ltd. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Mitsui & Co., Ltd. specialized in providing services and products related to ICT (information and communication technology). Partnering with various global ICT vendors and supporting more than 1,500 companies, MKI offers best-in-class solutions to customers.

Website: https://www.mki.co.jp/english/