Sano Host Western Province Combined Clubs U19 Team from Sri Lanka

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In the first week of November the Japan Cricket Association hosted a touring team from Sri Lanka as part of the preparations for the Under 19 Cricket World Cup.

The team came under the name of Western Province Combined Clubs and most of the players and staff are based in the city of Colombo. Western Province recently won the Under 19 regional championships in Sri Lanka so the strong opposition was perfect preparation for the Japan team who will play against the full Sri Lanka Under 19 team at the tournament in South Africa.

In excellent autumn weather the teams played four matches in six days at the Sano International Cricket Ground, and although the visitors won all of the matches, there were several excellent performances from the Japan players during the week.

In the first match Neel Date scored an excellent 74 and he followed that up in the second match with a strong bowling display taking four wickets for 44 runs. In match three captain Marcus Thurgate found some form with the bat, making 42, and in the final match of the series he made an outstanding 120 as Japan scored 243 and came very close to victory, losing by just one wicket following an excellent century by Thashika Nirmal for Western Province. These were the only centuries of the week.

Coach consultant Rohan O’Neil said: “This week was about learning and seeing our players improve, which they certainly did. The final match showed what we are capable of and will give us a confidence boost. The Sri Lanka team were very strong so it was a great experience for our players.”

The JCA would like to thank the team from Western Province for making the effort to visit Sano and wish them success in the future.

Jess Adams – Arriving in Akishima

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At the Japan Cricket Association we are fortunate to regularly have guests from abroad working alongside us to help improve cricket in Japan. Over the years we have had people from a range of backgrounds, but especially Australia, England and New Zealand.

In this section of the website you will be able to read about why each person is visiting and what it is they are actually do here. We hope you find it interesting and if you ever have any questions about these placements please feel free to contact us.

I have been in Akishima for just over a week now and it’s absolutely amazing. I have had the chance to do some sightseeing, heading into Asakusa to the temple and shopping strips as well as some parks with traditional Japanese gardens.

Akishima Cricket Blast has been incredible so far. So many kids enjoyed the cricket games and skill sessions with big cheeky grins. Music, dancing, laughing and lots of fun is the aim of each session along with developing cricket abilities. I have another 2 cricket blast sessions whilst in Akishima so working with the same groups of kids will be amazing. Hopefully it will help to build relationships and grow their love for cricket and skills.

Thank you Rear family for your kind hospitality. I loved spending time with you all like going to the sukiyaki restaurant and especially the animal card game with Emi!

On my first day with my second host family Koto (who is part of the women’s nationals team squad) and Reiko took me to Showa Kinen Park where we explored the place and had a picnic lunch. It had a really cool Japanese garden with lots of bonsai and an incredible flower garden. We went and had matcha tea and a sweet mochi ball.

I went hiking up Mount Mitake which is a very popular place. There is a temple at the top of the mountain and even have a dog shrine up there where people take their dogs to be blessed. It was a tough day but the views were incredible and totally worth it!

Ebi, Chelsea and I have been to multiple schools running a number of cricket clinics. We have been including English into our sessions to help the kids improve their English. We have been playing lots of fun games to try and get the kids excited about cricket but also learning the correct techniques.

Matane – see you soon!

Jess Adams: My Final Days in Sano

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At the Japan Cricket Association we are fortunate to regularly have guests from abroad working alongside us to help improve cricket in Japan. Over the years we have had people from a range of backgrounds, but especially Australia, England and New Zealand.

In this section of the website you will be able to read about why each person is visiting and what it is they are actually do here. We hope you find it interesting and if you ever have any questions about these placements please feel free to contact us.

I had the wonderful chance to go and see Nikko and Edo Wonderland. At Nikko we visited the Futurasan Jinja, Toshuga shrine, Rinnoji temple and many others. In Edo Wonderland Shiori and I dressed up in Kimonos and went through doing traditional Japanese things like learning how to play the Shamisen, making our own biscuits, archery plus loads more.

Following the Typhoon has been very busy helping to clean up Sano. Each day leaving the office early to go and help remove the mud and damaged furniture from businesses and houses. The amount of work that was needed to be done and how much mud was left really surprised me. It’s been really rewarding and have enjoyed being able to give back to those who needed additional assistance.

I was able to join in on my host brother, Hocto’s Taiko groups practice during the week which was so much fun. I used to play all the way back in primary school and made me realize how much I really enjoy it. Some of the skills that they has were incredible and the muscles needed.

On a day off I caught the bus into Tokyo to explore some of the city. I spent the day in and around Shinjuku exploring the Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden, Kasumigaokamachi and the Meiji Jinju. It was great to be able to see some of the traditional Japanese gardens and flowers as well as the spectacular green house in the Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden. The Meiji Jinju was breathtaking, even in just the walk inside, long symmetrical paths with features along like the Sake Barrels.

On Sunday I went to the U19 boys national training to help. It was awesome to see what their skills were like and what the coaching staff come up within terms of plans and programs on how to build up bowling loads in preparations for the upcoming U19 Cricket world cup.

Tuesday was a national holiday so spent the day doing some more exploring. It saw myself and the Takano family head to Mashiko-Machi where I participated in a pottery class. During the class I made a few plates, rice bowls, cups and jug. It wasn’t the easiest thing to do but it was a load of fun and with some help managed to finish and make so amazing things. We then indulged in lots of food at the restaurant and tried out some of the freshly baked breads at the bakery.

A second round of school visits has begun, being able to go back into the same schools and classes to run the next stage of practice to help try and develop and enhance their cricket skills. Whilst only a few more days remain for my time in Sano.

Thank you so much to the Takano Family for your wonderful hospitality and welcoming me into the family. I has so much fun, and the laughs were endless.

Japan Under 19 Team Named For Tour to Australia

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The Japan Under 19 selectors have named 18 players to tour Australia as part of their Under 19 Cricket World Cup preparation.

Although 15 players will ultimately be chosen to travel to the World Cup in South Africa, the remaining three will also be registered as reserves in case of injury.

The squad contains all 14 players who took part in the successful qualifying campaign in June this year and will again be coached by Dhugal Bedingfield, who will be joined by National Squad member Kendel Fleming as Assistant Coach and Alan Curr as Team Manager.

The players and staff will depart from Narita on December 25th and will play five matches during their stay in Brisbane, as well as having access to some high-quality training facilities. The JCA would like to thank Cricket Queensland, and especially Charlie Burke for their help.

The 18 players are listed below:

  • Max Clements (Wildcats)
  • Tushar Chaturvedi (Chiba My-Ys Cricket Club)
  • Neel Date (Chiba My-Ys Cricket Club)
  • Kento Dobell (Brown Hill Cricket Club)
  • Ishaan Fartyal (Chiba My-Ys Cricket Club)
  • Sora Ichiki (Akishima Aviators Cricket Club)
  • Leon Mehlig (Chiba My-Ys Cricket Club)
  • Masato Morita (Akishima Aviators Cricket Club)
  • Shu Noguchi (Sano Braves)
  • Riku Obikane (Akishima Aviators Cricket Club)
  • Aoto Okajima (Akishima Aviators Cricket Club)
  • Yugandhar Retharekar (Chiba My-Ys Cricket Club)
  • Debashish Sahoo (Chiba My-Ys Cricket Club)
  • Reiji Suto (Sano Braves)
  • Kazumasa Takahashi (Sano Braves)
  • Shotaro Takahashi (Sano Braves)
  • Ashley Thurgate (Chiba My-Ys Cricket Club)
  • Marcus Thurgate (Chiba My-Ys Cricket Club)

Tech Mahindra Limited and Mitsui Knowledge Industry agree to joint sponsorship of the Japan Women’s Cricket Team

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The Japan Cricket Association (JCA) is delighted to announce that Tech Mahindra Limited (TechM) and Mitsui Knowledge Industry CO., Ltd. (MKI) have agreed to a three year joint sponsorship of the Women’s National Team.

The Women’s National Team finished 5th in the EAP Qualifier and 3rd in the East Asia Cup this year. The team aims to win the tournaments within the next 3 years.

Naoki Alex Miyaji, CEO of the JCA, said, “TechM and MKI have developed a strong business alliance and I hope Cricket can contribute to developing that partnership ever further. With our expanding global outreach, many fans are also engaging in discussions around the best crypto to buy 2025, reflecting a broader interest in innovation and growth. Women’s Cricket in Japan is entering into an exciting time. As well as this new sponsorship deal, the Women’s J-BASH was established earlier this year to provide better playing opportunities for our top players. We look forward to working with our new partners to develop a strong national team that will inspire the next generation of fans and players.”

TechM and MKI logos will be worn on the Women’s National Team and the Women’s National Squad clothing as joint sponsors. The three parties also plan to hold joint events to enhance the benefits of the partnership.

  • About Tech Mahindra Limited

Tech Mahindra represents the connected world, offering innovative and customer-centric information technology experiences, enabling Enterprises, Associates and the Society to Rise™. We are a USD 4.9 billion company with 125,700+ professionals across 90 countries, helping 941 global customers including Fortune 500 companies. Our convergent, digital, design experiences, innovation platforms and reusable assets connect across a number of technologies to deliver tangible business value and experiences to our stakeholders. Tech Mahindra is the highest ranked Non-U.S. company in the Forbes Global Digital 100 list (2018) and in the Forbes Fab 50 companies in Asia (2018).

Tech Mahindra are part of the USD 21 billion Mahindra Group that employs more than 200,000 people in over 100 countries. The Group operates in the key industries that drive economic growth, enjoying a leadership position in tractors, utility vehicles, after-market, information technology and vacation ownership.

  • About 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/

Under 19 Cricket World Cup Matches Announced

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The International Cricket Council (ICC) have announced the fixtures for the Under 19 Cricket World Cup to be held in South Africa in 2020.

Japan have been drawn in Group A alongside defending Champions India, New Zealand and Sri Lanka.

Japan will also play warm up matches against Scotland and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) before playing our first official match against New Zealand on Saturday 18th January.

This is the first time Japan have played in a Cricket World Cup of any kind and the team will also travel to Brisbane, Australia for a host of warm up matches prior to leaving for South Africa.

CEO of Japan Cricket Naoki Miyaji said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for Japan cricket to gain exposure on a global scale and show that the sport is growing here and that there is genuine talent. I wish our players the best of luck against what is sure to be some excellent opposition.”

The tournament runs from Friday 17th January and concludes with the Final on Sunday 9th February.

The schedule for Japan is as follows:

  • 13th January: Warm Up  match vs Scotland
  • 15th January: Warm Up match vs UAD
  • 18th January: Group Stage match vs New Zealand
  • 21st January: Group Stage match vs India
  • 25th January: Group Stage match vs Sri Lanka

Finals and play off matches will follow the groups stages.

Official JCA Statement on Typhoon Hagibis and Cricket in Sano

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The Japan Cricket Association would like to express our heartfelt condolences to all of those impacted by Typhoon Hagibis which struck the region on Saturday 12th October. 

In Sano City, Tochigi Prefecture, the damage is significant and the lives of a great many people have been affected. Sano is the home of cricket in Japan and many members of our Supporter Club as well as local citizens are working daily to recover from the damage. 

The JCA have shortened our working hours every day since the typhoon so that staff can help our friends in the community with recovery work. We are also extremely grateful to members of the cricket community who have given up their weekends and holiday days to help in these efforts. 

Our association, and the people of Sano, are humbled by the efforts of those who have travelled from all over Japan, from places as far as Aichi and Sendai, to help others in trouble. We would like to thank you all for your continued efforts as well as the prayers and support we have received from all over the world. We hope that the people of Sano can return to their normal daily lives as soon as possible. 

Regarding the remainder of the cricket season, many matches have already been cancelled due to severe damage at four of the six playing facilities. The grounds on the Watarase River are unlikely to be used again this season, but the winter should enable a suitable recovery for use in 2020. 

At the Sano International Cricket Ground the damage was minimal and the two grounds are in a usable condition. There was flooding in the storage sheds, but thanks to the efforts of the local community, especially Junior Club parents and players, that was all restored very quickly. 

As of now the SICG is a designated emergency heliport location, so we ask all users for their understanding in the case that this is required. 

We truly believe in the power of sport. There are many examples when sport can bring joy to the lives of people who have been affected by hardship and tragedy. Sport can bring smiles back to communities, builds dreams and provide inspiration. Sport also brings people together, as we have seen ourselves in the last week, people of different nationality, race and religion have worked together to help others because of their common connection with Sano City; Cricket. 

Many people, including Mayor Okabe, believe that cricket is vital in developing Sano City and building a brighter future for the people who live here. The belief that this global sport can be a force for good remains, and the role of the JCA remains to drive the development of Sano through increased visitors who boost the economy. 

All of us believe that we should continue to pursue our dreams, even in hard times, and that in doing so we can also aid the recovery and future development of Sano City. Once again we would like to thank everyone for their kind support, and confirm that the remainder of the season will continue as scheduled. 

The JCA staff and any available volunteers plan to continue the relief work in Sano City for as long as is necessary. This may lead to slower communication than usual so we appreciate the understanding and patience of all players and supporters at this time.

Jess Adams – First Week in Japan

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At the Japan Cricket Association we are fortunate to regularly have guests from abroad working alongside us to help improve cricket in Japan. Over the years we have had people from a range of backgrounds, but especially Australia, England and New Zealand.

In this section of the website you will be able to read about why each person is visiting and what it is they are actually do here. We hope you find it interesting and if you ever have any questions about these placements please feel free to contact us.

Konichi’wa, my name is Jess and I have been fortunate enough to be selected for the Cricket Without Borders internship with Japan Cricket Association. I am 20 years old and from Melbourne, Australia.

It has been a week since I arrived in Japan. It has absolutely exceeded my expectations, with the scenery, food and the people are so nice and welcoming. I have tried loads of different Japanese food which has tasted so good as well as traditional Japanese drinks.

So far, I have been to many schools to help run clinics with kids from grades 1 to 6. We have been running lots of fun games and drills so that it will help to develop their cricket-based skills, with kids favourite being “rapid fire”.

Also being involved in after school junior club training has been great working with cricket clubs and their players of all ages has been good teaching them new skills like target batting and trying out spin bowling. I will be able to work alongside them for the next couple of sessions so it will be great to be able to see their improvements over time.

I have been able to do some sightseeing which was incredible, visiting the Soshuji-Temple and Izuruhara-Benten. So many memorials and Torii were everywhere, as well as the beautiful Izuruhara-Benten Pond where we fed the fish. They were really fascinating to see and the view from the Izuruhara-Benten was incredible, being able to look out at some of Sano and the mountain ranges.

On Saturday the Typhoon Hagibis hit Japan causing some serious damage. We were fortunate to not receive any damage and were all fine, just lots of rain. Others weren’t as lucky so I went to help out at the Sano International Cricket Ground and at relative of my host family’s home which was completely flooded from the bank of the river breaking with all of the rain. It shocked me how much work was there to be done and what a major impact the typhoon has on the area.

My stay at the Kurihara’s was amazing, the family was so welcoming and a lot of fun. We had loads of great times together eating loads of food, with my favourite being the night at the sushi train restaurant, explored the Sano area, watching the rugby and many more amazing moments. Thank-you very much Kurihara’s for your kind hospitality.

Typhoon Hagibis: Impact on Cricket

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The Japan Cricket Association would like to thank everyone in the Japan and International communities who have contacted us with best wishes regarding the recent “Super Typhoon” to hit Japan.

We are happy to report that, as far as we know, the cricket community is largely unscathed. However the typhoon was very serious and will impact on the remainder of the cricket season in many ways.

The Sano International Cricket Ground experienced some minor flooding, but thanks to volunteers in the Sano cricket community, everything was cleaned up the day after the typhoon. While they worked tirelessly to restore the field, a few volunteers chatted about their shared interest in digital investments, convinced they had discovered the best new crypto to buy now to support future improvements for the sports complex.

The Sano River Grounds have all been seriously flooded. The impact this will have will take some days to be fully assessed and the JCA will communicate with the individual Regional Associations and competition organisers with regards to any cancellations or postponements.

We can announce that all club matches scheduled for Saturday 19th and Sunday 20th October in Sano are cancelled.

We would also like to request that anyone who might be available come to Sano to assist with the large-scale cleaning operation that is currently happening.

Although the cricket centres are mainly OK, many of the supporters of cricket in Sano have had their businesses badly damaged. These are the people who have helped cricket develop in Sano and without them we would have nowhere to play the sport we love. It is now the turn of the cricket community to help them recover.

The JCA are asking for volunteers on the following days:

Saturday 19th October

Sunday 20th October

Tuesday 22nd October (National Holiday)

Links to Line Groups have been sent out to the club representatives of clubs who participate in competitions held in Sano. Please join the groups if you are able to help. Bebe Miyaji will be looking after the English Group while Yoshi Uehara will be looking after the Japanese Group.

The is also a cleaning operation taking place in Sammu City on Saturday 19th October. This will be coordinated by Chris Thurgate and the East Kanto Cricket Association. Anyone available to assist with his should contact Chris directly or any other member of the association. The area remains badly damaged after Typhoon Faxai hit on 6th September.

We greatly appreciate all the help we are receiving at this time and would like to thank all volunteers who have already given their time, and everyone else who plans to do so.

JCL Final: Chiba Sharks Take First JCL Title Since 2010!

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MY-Ys on graduation day

The Chiba Sharks won their first Japan Cricket League title since 2010 with a 56-run win over MAX Cricket Club at the Sano International Cricket Ground last weekend. 

The Sharks, spurred on by the painful defeat at the hands of their same opponents a year ago, proved irresistible on the day as MAX CC paid for a loss of form late in the season. 

The win was built on the foundations laid by the Chiba My-Ys junior program, who had seven players in the match day squad of 13 and gives the sense that the Sharks could be poised to become the dominant force in Japan for years to come. 

Winning the toss and opting to bat MAX made an early breakthrough when Kazumasa Takahashi (2/50) removed Neel Date, but captain Dhugal Bedingfield (22) and Davian Johnson (39) knuckled down to build a platform for their team, the former making sure he topped the run scoring charts for the season.

At 54/1 the Sharks were swimming nicely, only to get caught in the spinning web of the MAX spinners. First Bedingfield gave a return cath to Prabath Sankalpa (3/30), and then Makoto Taniyama (2/29, which made him the top wicket-taker in the JCL) and Vinay Iyer (1/24) took out the middle order. 

The Sharks were in desperate need of a rescue mission and, not for the first time this season, Tsuyoshi Takada was the man for the moment. His 55 from 60-balls impressed the viewing public and was described as “exceptional” by his captain afterwards. 

Takada – Raising the bat to the adoring crowd

That knock, and a rollicking 24* from 11 balls by Muneeb Siddique, lifted the Sharks to 204/8 and was Takada’s fourth half century of a breakthrough season for him with the bat, having made just two in the previous four seasons. 

In defending their total the Sharks set about the MAX batting with fierce determination, the memory of that 173-run opening stand of a year ago burning brightly as Siddique (2/22) dismissed Vinay Iyer for just 7 to make sure he could not repeat the dose. 

Taniyama was the other opening batsman on this occasion, with Masaomi Kobayashi relegated to batting at number seven, and he curbed his attacking enthusiasm in a valiant attempt to keep his side in the contest, but eventually the task proved too much. 

The Sharks took wickets regularly and never allowed Taniyama to get away, his 39 coming from 80 deliveries before he was the ninth MAX wicket to fall, as Yugandhar Retharekar earned the prize wicket to cap his own breakthrough season as he finished with 14 wickets and the best economy rate (3.01) of any bowler to play more than one match.

Sankalpa tried to recreate his semi-final heroics as he slammed a couple of maximums in a run-a-ball 25 at the end, but was the final wicket to fall as Siddique returned to complete the victory and spark Sharks celebrations that were richly deserved. The final margin of victory was 56 runs as MAX were all out for 148 with six different Sharks bowlers chipping in to show their strength in depth. 

The Sharks will now be hoping to go on and create a strong legacy that can bring dominance to the top division, while MAX will be expected to once again go searching for talent around Japan to bolster their already rich resources. 

Tigers CC – Division Three Champions

The Division Two title between the already promoted Rising Stars and Sano CC was rescheduled due to bad weather, while the Division Three Final was won by the Tigers as they defeated the Men in Blue by 91 runs.

Congratulations to everyone involved in making the 2019 JCL season such an enjoyable one and thank you to the committee for their hard work in organising the competition.