Report｜JCL Round 13

Posted by

In the last round of 2022’s JCL Division One, a couple of important games were still to be played to decide position standings ahead of this week’s semi-finals.

There was everything to play for in the Men in Blue Vs Sano match as the winner would claim the last sport in the JCL final four. 

Sano’s bowling lineup was lethal despite having a depleted squad. Taking regular wickets, only Abhipray Dewan handled the bowlers with any conviction scoring 47. A critical 35-run 10th-wicket partnership between Vikash Ranjan and Vivek Singh helped the team to 147 before being bowled out. Kohei Wakita and Munir Ahmad were the best of the Sano bowlers taking three wickets each.

Defending 147, the Men in Blue’s bowlers came out with purpose squeezing runs from the top-order batsmen. Wickets came in a flurry after the first breakthrough, Souta Wada gave the team hope scoring a quick 39 before being dismissed leaving the Sano batsmen a lot more to do. Men in Blue’s 10th wicket partnership ended up being vital as they bowled out Sano for 118 thus progressing through to the Semi-Finals.

Rohit Kesari had himself a match-winning innings for the Alpha Quashers finishing their season off on a high note. Despite the incredible innings by Kesari, he would unfortunately fall one short of his century. His runs were much needed as wickets fell around him cheaply and only Augustine Jacob (44*) managed to help bump up the total to 183 after their 40 overs.

The Falcon’s chase got off to a terrible start with the top four getting out cheaply. A resurgent 81-run partnership between Sanket Panwar (46) and Kuldeep Bisht (29) got the team back on track. However, the Alpha Qushers’ bowlers were relentless, as all top five bowlers took regular wickets while restricting extras. The Falcons were all bowled out for 158 losing by 25 runs. Despite the loss, the Falcons still claimed fourth place in the standings so will be looking ahead to the upcoming semis.

In their first season of JCL Division One, the Tokyo Rangers remained undefeated finishing their last game with a 46-run win over the Rising Stars. Posting 187 in the first innings, no Rangers batters were able to push on to make a big score, Vinoth Kumar Takoor the best scoring 45. Bowling nine bowlers in the first inning, Abuhasnat Alam was the best taking three off his eight overs.

The Rising Stars had a good go at the total but ultimately fell short with Risitha Nimishka Karunarathna taking a season-high four wickets to bowl them out for 141. The Rangers take the top spot in this year’s JCL looking to be the favorites come semi-finals time this weekend.

The Tigers made easy work of Max with a big six-wicket bonus point win to secure second place in the standings. Opening bowler Pk Kumar led from the front by taking four wickets up top tearing through Max’s top order. After the start, Max never recovered from the horrible start being bowled out for 69 hoping for a miracle in the second innings. Tigers were not messing around as they chased down Max’s total in the 15th over, ending their last game on a high and in contrast leaving a season to forget for Max.

Hong Kong Lead East Asia Cup Series 2-0

Posted by

Hong Kong once again proved their quality as a side without experienced captain Kary Chan once again defeated Japan by eight wickets to go 2-0 up in the East Asia Cup Series. 

In a match full of similarities to the one the previous day, Hong Kong bowled first and had Japan in trouble as both openers were dismissed in the first over. 

Hinase Goto paid the price for hesitating when taking a quick single and was run out, only for opening partner Akari Kano to fall next ball. 

Ahilya Chandel (18) and Shimako Kato (28) combined to put on 42 in nine overs which put Japan in a position where a good second half of the innings would have put them in a position to apply pressure to the Hong Kong Batters. 

Good catching and accurate bowling from the visitors ended any chance of that however, as Hong Kong roared back with seven wickets for 21 runs in five overs in the final quarter of the innings. 

Four wickets for 16 runs from Betty Chan, and three for 16 from Ruchita Venkatesh, meant a total of 91 all out for Japan, just one more than in match one, and early wickets would be crucial. 

Despite excellent new ball bowling from Chandel and Kato, the new opening pair of Mariko Hill and Natasha Miles were able to hang in before cutting loose against the change bowlers. 

A 51-run opening partnership effectively ended the match as a contest, although Japan had something to celebrate as Shizuka Miyaji joined Ayako Nakayama as Japan Women’s leading wicket-taker with 44 wickets, and Ahilya Chandel claimed her first. 

The match ended in the 14th over with Mariko Hill carving another boundary, her fifth of the innings to go along with two sixes, and reached her half century at the same time to cap another excellent performance for the allrounder. 

The contest resumes tomorrow as Japan look to build upon the learnings of the first two matches. 

Match Summary:

  • Japan 91/10 (KM Chan 4/13, R Venkatesh 3/16)
  • Hong Kong 93/2 (Hill 51*)
  • Hong Kong won by eight wickets

Hong Kong Win First Match in Women’s East Asia Cup

Posted by

 

An inexperienced Japan Women’s Team were outclassed by an excellent Hong Kong side on the opening day of the Women’s East Asia Cup in Kaizuka as the visitors took a 1-0 lead in the four-match series in front of a crowd that topped three figures at one stage in the day.

After winning the toss and choosing to bowl, Hong Kong were on top as the Japanese opening pair of Shizuka Miyaji and Hinase Goto, one of five debutants for Japan, struggled to get the ball away. Miyaji played around a straight one from Betty Chan to eventually be dismissed for nine off 16 balls in the fourth over, before Goto and another debutant, Ahilya Chandel were dismissed in quick succession.

A 28-run partnership between captain Mai Yanagida (11) and Erika Oda (14) put Japan in the position of posting a score in excess of three figures, but another flurry of wickets followed the dismissal of Oda put the team in trouble again.

Shimako Kato impressed with the bat at number 8, top scoring with 15 in a partnership of 27 with Akari Kano (13*) with a couple of well struck boundaries which helped Japan ultimately finish on 90 for seven after 20 overs.

For Hong Kong there were threats all over with four bowlers in the wickets and the standout figures belonging to Maryam Bibi whose four overs yielded two wickets for seven runs.

In total contrast to the Japan batting, Hong Kong exploded out of the blocks as Mariko Hill and captain Kary Chan looked to take advantage of the six-over powerplay. Hill, who is half-Japanese herself. struck six boundaries and a six in a 32-ball 40 which ended the game as a contest long before the winning runs were hit.

Helped by some poor fielding and five missed chances, Hong Kong cruised home with eight wickets and six overs to spare, the only negative being a potential shoulder injury to captain Kary Chan who appeared to injure herself in diving to make her ground and, after a lengthy delay, holed out to midwicket the very next ball she faced.

A young Japan team will take a lot from the experience, it has been more than three years since they last played an international fixture, and hope to improve as the tournament continues.

Mariko Hill was named MVP for her one wicket for 19 and 40 from 32-balls.

The teams will compete at the same time tomorrow, 11am start at the Kaizuka Cricket Field.

Match Summary:

  • Japan:  90/7
  • Hong Kong: 91/2 (Hill 40)
  • Hong Kong won by eight wickets

Tigers Win Japan Cup

Posted by

Tigers defeat Tsukuba to win Japan Cup

The Tigers are Japan Cup champions for the first time after defeating Tsukuba by 23 runs in the Japan Cup Final on Sunday October 23rd at the Sano International Cricket Ground.

61 teams took part in the Japan Cup T20 tournament this year across six regions, with 12 teams qualifying for the finals, played over the weekend of October 22nd and 23rd in Sano.

In the Japan Cup Final Tsukuba captain Kasun Ganesh sent the Tigers in to bat and, although the Tsukuba bowlers were able to take regular wickets, the Tigers fought to a competitive total of 116, Sabaorish Ravichandran top-scoring with 48.

Tsukuba started brightly, Chanaka Madhushanka hitting three massive sixes during the power play, but when he departed the incoming batsmen were unable to maintain the momentum and some accurate Tigers bowling restricted Tsukuba to 93/9 off their 20 overs.

Ravichandran was named man of the match for his all-round performance and also took home the Tournament MVP award for his 131 runs and nine wickets.

Earlier in the day Tsukuba had booked their place in the final with narrow win over Kawasaki Knight Riders in the semi final, Malith Neranjan whacking three sixes to end the match in style.

Tigers had made it through to the final thanks to a comfortable six wicket victory over last year’s champions Tuskers, Sachin Thakur the man of the match for his entertaining innings of 33.

In the Shield Final Kobe Hawks were to strong for the Wyverns, cruising to a four wicket win with plenty of overs to spare, Safi Luqman claiming the man of the match award for his bowling performance of 5/11.

In the Plate Final Osaka Lions easily accounted for the Tokyo Wombats, compiling an impressive 157/7 on the way to a 57 run win, Bandula Wijebandara’s innings of 55 earning him the man of the match award.

Final Standings

  • Japan Cup champions: Tigers
  • Japan Cup runners up: Tsukuba
  • 3rd place: Tuskers
  • 4th place: Kawasaki Knight Riders
  • Shield winners (5th): Kobe Hawks
  • 6th place: Wyverns
  • 7th place: Ceylon XI
  • 8th place: Alpha Quashers
  • Plate winners (9th): Osaka Lions
  • 10th place: Tokyo Wombats
  • 11th place: Pakistan Stars
  • 12th place: Kyoto Super Lions

Award Winners

  • Japan Cup Finals MVP: Sabaorish Ravichandran (Tigers)
  • Japan Cup Finals Best Batsman: Supun Navarathna (Tuskers)
  • Japan Cup Finals Best Bowler: Piyush Kumbhare (Tigers)

Japan Reach Regional Final

Posted by

The Japan Men’s team have won their first ICC tournament in 15 years after finishing with three wins out of four in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Sub Regional Qualifier. 

Despite slipping to a six-wicket loss to Indonesia on the final day, Japan had won by such big margins in the previous three matches that they could not be caught at the top of the table. 

Speaking after the tournament title was secured Head Coach Dhugal Bedingfield was already looking forward to the next steps. He said: “I’m excited to see how these players get on at the next level, we came here wanting to win the tournament and we’ve done that and learned a lot along the way.”

Captain and winner of the Best Batter award Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming was equally upbeat during the closing ceremony when he spoke of how the team had come together as a group and how grateful he was for all the support from staff, volunteers, and everyone who attended the matches and supported through the online channels. 

Japan took home a clean sweep of the individual awards with Sabaorish Ravichandran named the Best Bowler thanks to his seven wickets, while Lachlan Yamamoto-Lake was chosen by the umpires as the tournaments Most Valuable Player due to his run scoring at the start of every innings. 

The JCA would also like to formally congratulate the team and thank everyone for their support during the last four days of competition. We will share details of the Regional Final, to be played against Papua New Guinea, Philippines and Vanuatu, some time in 2023.

Tournament Awards: 

  • Most Valuable Player: Lachlan Yamamoto-Lake (Japan): 109 Runs / Strike Rate 194.64
  • Best Batter: Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming: 179 Runs / Strike Rate 218.29
  • Best Bowler: Sabaorish Ravichandran: 7 Wickets / Economy Rate 5.25

Match Summary

  • Japan 103/10 (Kadowaki-Fleming: 31, Artawan 3/14)
  • Indonesia 104/4 (Priandana: 42)
  • Indonesia win by six wickets

 

  • Korea 98/6
  • Indonesia 99/7 (Priandana: 32, Lal 4/35, Nakash 3/8)
  • Indonesia win by three wickets

 

Dominant Japan Win Again

Posted by

The Japan Men’s team swept aside Korea with a crushing eight-wicket win that puts the team on the verge of qualifying for the East Asia Pacific Regional Final.

The only time Japan looked even mildly uncomfortable was when Kim Daeyeon (29) smashed two huge sixes in the very first over of the match, however that was as good as it got for the Koreans. 

Once again Piyush Kumbhare was central to suffocating any momentum the visitors had, first by dismissing Daeyeon with his first ball, and finishing with two wickets for just eight runs from his four overs. 

All the Japan bowlers contributed as they bowled Korea all out for 91, while Alex Shirai-Patmore excelled behind the stumps claimed a catch, a run out and two excellent stumpings to finish off the innings; the first from a ripping leg-spinner from Makoto Taniyama, and the other standing up to seamer Reo Sakurano-Thomas. 

After the tiniest of wobbles chasing a similar total the previous day, there were no such issues this time as Supun Navarathna and Lachlan Yamamoto-Lake made hay in the powerplay. 

A partnership of 78 in 41 balls ended the match as a contest and both were aggressive from the start with boundaries flowing freely. 

It was the fourth over of the innings when things really ramped up, Yamamoto-Lake crashing three successive sixes off Lee Hwanhee as 25 runs came from the over. He struck another in the following over to bring up his half-century from just 22 balls.

Both openers fell before the job was complete; Navarathna for 21 from 15 balls and Yamamoto-Lake for 55 from 28 balls, which allowed captain Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming to come in and strike successive boundaries to win the game with more than 11 overs to spare. 

With this being a 3rd victory for Japan, the match between the hosts and Indonesia tomorrow morning will decide the tournament champion, with Korea unable to progress. 

That crucial match will be played tomorrow morning at 09:30 at the Sano International Cricket Ground.

Match Summary

  • Korea 91/10
  • Japan 95/2 (Yamamoto-Lake 55)
  • Japan win by eight wickets

Festival Goers Cheer Japan to Victory

Posted by

Japan earned a second successive win at the T20 World Cup Qualifier in front of a packed crowd at the Sano International Cricket Ground.

The furusato matsuri was in full swing by the time the match got underway with an audience in its thousands applauding an excellent performance by the Japanese bowlers. 

Indonesia had won the toss and chosen to bat and started tentatively before Kohei Kubota (two for 16) broke through by bowling Gede Priandana for four. 

The most damage was really done by Piyush Kumbhare whose every delivery was loudly cheered by his Tigers teammates in the stands. His four overs went for just 10 runs while also dismissing the dangerous Padmakar Surve for 28. 

Reo Sakurano-Thomas grabbed two late wickets to finish with three for 11 and a total of 83 all out in the 19th over did not look enough. 

The Japanese tactic of maximising their opportunities in the powerplay was obvious as, after the early dismissal of Supun Navarathna for one, Lachlan Yamamoto-Lake (31 off 17) and Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming (21 off eight) put on 34 in just 13 balls. 

Indonesia did not give up however, and there was some excitement when they took three Japanese wickets for four runs to leave the home team 65 for five and wobbling. 

It took the calm head of Declan Suzuki to see the team home with 12* off seven balls, as Japan passed the target with four wickets and more than half the allotted time remaining.

That win means Japan sit top of the tournament table at the halfway stage with two wins from two and will take on Korea again at the SICG on Monday.

Match Summary

  • Indonesia 83/10 (Sakurano-Thomas 3/11)
  • Japan 84/6 (Yamamoto-Lake 31)
  • Japan win by four wickets

Kadowaki-Fleming Century Leads Japan to Victory

Posted by

An astonishing century by captain Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming led Japan to a 48-run win over South Korea at the Sano International Cricket Ground today. 

In a sensational start to the Japanese campaign to qualify for the 2024 T20 World Cup in the USA and West Indies, Kadowaki-Fleming struck 10 sixes and 10 fours in a 40-ball century that sits sixth on the list of fastest T20 International hundreds of all time. 

His first fifty came from 21 balls, but in the 10th over he hit five sixes in a row off the bowling of Kuldeep Gurjar to have the crowd in raptures, which only increased when he went 4,6,6 in the 12th over to become the first Japanese batter to ever score an official T20 International hundred. 

In partnership with Sabaorish Ravichandran (24) 88 runs were added in 41 balls until Kadowaki-Fleming finally mistimed one to be caught for 114 (46) in the 14th over but the Japan batters continued to be aggressive.

A 7-ball 17* by Vice-Captain Reo Sakurano-Thomas lifted Japan past 200 and the innings eventually closed on 218/8 which, even with some small boundaries due to the wet outfield, was still a daunting target.

There was only one way for Korea to approach the run chase and they went hard right away as Amir Lal hit his first ball for six, the first of four he would strike in his entertaining 12-ball 34. 

His dismissal became the first of three quick wickets for Japan, but Korea captain Jun Hyon Woo (26) held things together before Mudassir Iqbal (46) and Muhammad Shoaib Raja (40*) really tried to make the game interesting with some huge strikes. 

In total there were 28 sixes struck in the match, many of them going into or even over the stands at the SICG but the Japan team maintained their discipline in the field by taking good catches and showing real athleticism in the field. 

Kohei Kubota (two for 28) and Piyush Kumbhare (one for 19) were the pick of the bowlers for Japan as they kept Korea to 170/6 to win by 48 runs and put down a marker for the rest of the tournament. 

Speaking after the game the captain simply claimed it was nice to get a few out of the middle but was happier about the support at the ground for the team and hopes that more people will be through the gate on Sunday. 

The match against Indonesia on Sunday 16th October will start at 13:30, and will represent a good test after Indonesia followed up their maiden T20 International victory last week by defeating Korea in the morning match by 64 runs. 

They were indebted to Padmakar Surve who made a 45-ball 61 to carry his team to 130/7 before Maxi Koda with three for 15, and Kekut Artawan (two for one) picked up where they left off in the series against Japan to bowl Korea all out for just 66. 

That win means Indonesia top the group on net run rate after today’s games and put extra spice into the game on Sunday.

 

Match Summaries: 

  • Japan 218/8 (Kadowaki-Fleming 114)
  • Korea 170/6 (Iqbal 46)
  • Japan win by 48 runs

 

  • Indonesia 130/7 (Surve 61)
  • Korea 66/10 (Koda 3/15)
  • Indonesia win by 64 runs

Japan vs Indonesia Series Ends 2-1

Posted by

The Japan Men slipped to a three-wicket defeat in the final match of the three match series against Indonesia, meaning the contest ends as a 2-1 victory to the hosts.

After winning the toss and choosing to bat for the third match in a row, the Japanese batters were unable to impose themselves in the same manner as they had the previous day.

After losing three early wickets there was a recovery of sorts as Ibrahim Takahashi tried to move things along in making a run-a-ball 26, however his dismissal precipitated a major collapse as Indonesia took seven wickets for just 22 runs, with Ediguna Artawan grabbing four for 12 with his leg-spin.

A target of 80 always looked light of what was required, and it looked even smaller after Agus Priandana struck 17 off the first over. A fightback led by Piyush Kumbhare with two for eight in his four overs had Indonesia stuttering at 53 for five in the 11th over.

Japan ended up taking seven wickets to make things interesting, however Indonesia always seemed in control and ultimately passed the target with four overs to spare.

Artawan was named MVP for his bowling display and looks a bowler to be wary of in the upcoming World Cup Qualifiers, while Reo Sakurano-Thomas was named Player of the Series.

Match Summary

  • Japan 79/10 (Artawan 4/12)
  • Indonesia 82/7
  • Indonesia Win by Three Wickets

Japan Secure Series Win Against Indonesia

Posted by

A scintillating partnership of 128 in just 67 balls between captain Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming (81 from 40) and Lachlan Yamamoto-Lake (57* from 42) led the Japan Men to an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series against Indonesia. 

After winning the toss and batting first in a match reduced to 17 overs per side due to overnight rain, Kadowaki-Fleming dropped himself down to number three and unleashed his full repertoire of shots against the Indonesian bowlers. 

It was the first official T20 International half century by a Japanese batter and was brought up with one of five sixes as he reached the landmark off just 26 balls, and was followed soon after by Yamamoto-Lake who required just 36 balls. 

Their stroke-play led Japan to a total of 179 for four from 17 overs and always looked a tough ask for an Indonesia side still coming to terms with the local conditions. 

As in the first match of the series, Japan took a wicket in the first over of the reply as Kohei Kubota went through Wayan Budiarta to claim his first international wicket, however 45* from Agus Priandana, who batted through the innings, held things together for the tourists. 

He was well supported by Pradmaker Surve who made a run-a-ball 22 in a 48 run partnership for the third wicket which frustrated the Japanese attack and was only broken when Shogo Kimura produced a bullet throw to catch Surve short of the line. 

Japan maintained their standards in the field throughout and a sublime diving catch by Declan Suzuki late in the day helped restrict Indonesia to 104 for six after 17 overs and earn Japan a win by 75 runs.

Speaking after the game the captain and MVP was in good spirits: “I first played cricket in Japan seven years ago, so it has felt like a long wait to pull on this jersey, which really makes it special to finally do so,” said Kadowaki-Fleming. 

“It’s a real honour to lead the team and to get two wins and contribute myself today caps a great two days.” He went on to add that the World Cup Qualifiers starting on Saturday 15th remain very much in the minds of all the players and coaching staff and that there is a real gratitude from all the team members for the support they have received so far.  

Japan had two debutants in the match; Vinay Iyer who became the 100th male player to be capped and marked the occasion with a sharp catch at short fine leg, while Kento Ota-Dobell graduated from the Under 19 team to become the 101st cap, and picked up a wicket late in the game. 

Match Summary:

  • Japan 179/4 (Kadowaki-Fleming 81, Yamamoto-Lake 57*)
  • Indonesia 104/6 (Priandana 45*)
  • Japan Win by 75 Runs