JCL Round Four Report: Wombats and Wyverns Spring Surprises

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A topsy-turvy Round Four of the JCL concluded last Saturday, spread as it was across two weekends, with a couple of significant surprises.

The Tokyo Wombats pulled off the most impressive run chase so far this season, courtesy of a sublime 116* from opener Alex Patmore, as they defeated their age-old rivals the Chiba Sharks by three wickets.

Missing Captain Dhugal Bedingfield, the Sharks batted first and were in real strife at 69/5, but the tail wagged to great effect, mainly thanks to a counterattacking 52* from Muneeb Siddique which lifted the Sharks to 206/9.

The Wombats used six different bowlers who all picked up at least a wicket each, with Augustine Jacob the pick with 2/31, including a sharp caught and bowled to dismiss Neel Date, having put the same batsman down earlier in the innings.

The chase was always likely to rely on Patmore, who now sits top of the run scorer chart, and was lucky to survive a huge caught behind appeal when on just 17. That was off the bowling of 15-year-old off-spinner Yugandhar Retharekar, who finished with figures of 3/23, but Patmore’s masterclass was too good for the Sharks.

The other surprise of the round came when Wyverns returned to their 2017 form by shocking MAX by 50 runs to briefly go top of the table. Tomoki Ota found some form as he struck 45 in a total of 142/9 while Prabath Sankalpa bowled his eight overs for just 10 runs and collected two wickets along the way.

Nozomi Tomizawa (3/13) was the Wyverns hero with the ball as he dismissed in-form Masaomi Kobayashi and Supun Nawarathna with successive deliveries while Kohei Kubota also knocked over Kazumasa Takahashi to leave MAX reeling at 10/3.

Although there was some resistance from Thapa Bijaya (39) and Makoto Taniyama (27), Wyverns took the rest of the wickets for just 92-runs to win by 50 runs.

Tigers CC would end the weekend top of the table after brushing aside Men in Blue. Sabaorish Ravichandran continued his form with the ball, grabbing 4/18 with his ripping leg-spinners with only Sarfaraz Petkar (39) having an impact with the bat.

Rahul Koul mastered the chase with 52* as the Tigers cruised home by seven wickets.

Alpha Quashers were the third team to be top during the weekend after a convincing win against Tokyo Falcons, who remain rooted to the foot of the table.

Raman Tanwar led the charge with 4/35 as Quashers took all ten wickets for 177, Manish Kapil the main contributor for Falcons with 54 coming in at number seven.

The Quashers made light work of the chase, knocking off the runs in 26 overs with seven wickets in hand thanks to 50* from Rohit Kesari and 40 at the top of the order from Nilesh Kanungo.

Japan Top After Defeating Vanuatu

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Japan produced a second outstanding performance in the ICC Under 19 Cricket World Cup Qualifier – EAP today, as they defeated Vanuatu by 70-runs.

Japan were indebted to a half century from Marcus Thurgate and four wickets from Masato Morita in match that was not always plain sailing.

Winning the toss and choosing to bat, Vanuatu had Japan 29/4 in the 11th over. It was then a case of Captain Thurgate to the rescue as his mature 58 pulled the team up to a defend-able total which would later earn him the match MVP Award.

He was kept company by Kento Dobell (41) in a key partnership of 72 while Reiji Suto (17) also chipped in as Japan made 198 all out in 50 overs. Three wickets for Obed Yosef was the highlight for Vanuatu.

Wickets proved hard to come by initially for Japan, before Sora Ichiki (2/29) clean bowled two batsmen in the 24th over, including the dangerous Womajo Wotu (33).  

Spin twins Morita (the youngest player in the Japan team) and Yugandhar Retharekar (1/14) then exerted real scoreboard pressure which culminated in four wickets in seven balls for leg-spinner Morita at the end of his ten-over spell of 4/38.

Vanuatu retained hope while captain Bettan Viraliliu remained, but he was last out for 32 to spark the celebrations in the crowd and the middle as Japan moved top of the qualification table.

Speaking after the match coach Dhugal Bedingfield said: “Vanuatu are a good side and outplayed us in the first ten overs of each innings, so it was great to see the boys fight back the way they did. Marcus and Kento were crucial to our batting score while our spinners won us the game; they were just fantastic.

In the other match of the day Samoa won a chaotic and low-scoring tussle with Fiji. Apete Sokovagone took 4/31 as Samoa fell to 92 all out in 25.1 overs, but Samoa bounced back to dismiss their Pacific rivals for just 56 in 17.5 overs with three wickets apiece for Sitanisilao Toutai (3/30) and Lester Evile (3/3) to win by 36 runs.

Tuesday 4th is a rest day with Japan having a bye on Wednesday 5th. Japan will then takeo n Fiji on Thursday 6th June at SICG Two.

The next matches will be Fiji vs Vanuatu and Papuar New Guinea vs Samoa.

Japan Defeat Samoa in Opening Match

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Japan produced an outstanding display in the first match of the ICC Under 19 Cricket World Cup Qualifier – EAP, defeating Samoa by 174 runs at the Sano International Cricket Ground.

In their first official Under 19 international since 2011, Kazumasa Takahashi was the star with an all-round masterclass that earned him the MVP award after Captain Marcus Thurgate had won the toss and chosen to bat.

After Samoa took two early wickets, Japan rebuilt through a 113-run partnership in 25 overs between Takahashi (68) and Debashish Sahoo (27), which laid the platform for the lower order.

Sano local boy Takahashi, just 15-years-old, struck 10 boundaries, all around the crowd, much to the delight of the home crowd.

Thurgate contributed a half-century of his own (52), which included a huge six over long-on, as Japan posted 252/9 from their 50 overs, Paul Raratoga the pick of the Samoan bowlers with 3/37.

Takahashi then took the new ball and, in partnership with Kento Dobell (1/18), had Samoa in the mire at 28/6 in the 11th over. Sitanisilao Toutai showed spirited resistance after Takahashi had finished his spell with 4/14.

Samoa were dismissed for jut 78 in 18.1 overs with Neel Date and Yugandhar Retharekar cleaning up the tail with two wickets each.

After the match coach Dhugal Bedingfield was pleased with the win and said: “We were not sure what to expect today, but the boys played really well. That partnership between Debashish and Kazumasa really set us up. It’s a great way to start, but we know each game will be harder than the last so we are staying focussed and hoping for another good result tomorrow.” 

In the other match of the day Papua New Guinea defeated Fiji by 230 runs. Half centuries from Mavara Hekure (79*) and Herea Kilapat (57) helped PNG set an imposing 331/8 and then bowled Fiji all out for 101. Semo Kamea and Govea Airi took three wickets apiece and a comfortable victory.

In tomorrows matches Japan will play Vanuatu and Fiji will play Samoa.

ICC Under 19 Cricket World Cup Qualifier To Commence

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This Sunday the ICC Under 19 Cricket World Cup Qualifier – EAP will start at the Sano International Cricket Ground.

Coached by Dhugal Bedingfield and Captained by Marcus Thurgate, Japan will begin the competition with a match against Samoa Under 19s starting at 10am on SICG 1.

Further matches will take place during the week with Japan playing Monday (against Vanuatu) and Thursday (against Fiji) before the final match against PNG on Saturday 8th.

The closing ceremony and trophy presentation will take place on Sunday 9th June by Sano station from 19:00-20:00.

Selector Alan Curr said: “The team have played a few warm up matches against men’s teams and played very well in all of them so everyone is happy with where they are. The team is young and still learning, this is our first time playing at this level for eight years, so we are all interested to see what the standard is like.”

Thurgate said he was proud to be captaining the Japan Under 19s and knows that this represents the start of a new era for Japan Cricket as most of the players in the side have come through local junior programs.

Of the 14 players selected, 11 have come from clubs in Akishima, Chiba and Sano and Naoki Miyaji was quick to pay tribute to those programs:

“The JCA are delighted to see the hard work of our staff and some very committed volunteers paying off. Many of these players took part in our Cricket Blast program, launched five years ago, and we are delighted that we can showcase that in this event. Good Luck to all the players.”

We hope the cricket community will come and support the next generation of Japanese cricketers as they take part in this landmark tournament.

Friday 24th May 2019, 17:00

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Sano 1

Outfield:short,dry . Pitch: good.

Sano 2

Outfield:bit long,bit wet. Pitch: good.

Sano 3

Outfield:short,dry. Pitch: good

Sano 4

Outfield:short,dry. Pitch: good

SICG 1

Outfield:  short,dry . Pitch: good. JCA  staff will open the gate both days.

SICG 2

Outfield:  short,dry . Pitch: good. JCA  staff will open the gate both days.

Notes

I found a lots of cigarette butts in Sano 3 4,s parking area.

Do not smoke in Sano ground. That is too bad.

In SICG,we made smoking area ,please use.

Musashi Yamamoto becomes the Second Baseball Player to Switch to Cricket

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Musashi Yamamoto has announced that he is making the switch from baseball to cricket, after playing professional baseball for Yokohama DeNA BayStars.

Musashi was a power hitter in high school, smashing 24 home runs while playing for Kyushu International University Highschool before drafted by the BayStars in 2015. He was released by his team last year and decided to seek a professional career in cricket.

After deciding to make the switch, Musashi visited Australia where he took part in a training session and confirmed his ambition to become a professional cricket player. On returning to Japan, Musashi moved to Sano, the home of cricket in Japan, where he will prepare himself to play in Australia.

Musashi said, “Sano has the best facilities and support when it comes to cricket in Japan, so I’m looking forward to preparing myself to go to Australia to pursue a professional career in cricket.”

He will train and play for the local Sano Cricket Club and plans to visit Australia again in the near future.

A press conference will be held in Tokyo at 13:00 on Monday the 27th of May. Please contact us here for more information.

 

 

Friday 17th May 2019, 17:00

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Sano 1

Outfield:short,dry . Pitch: good.

Sano 2

Outfield:bit long,bit wet. Pitch: good.

Sano 3

Outfield:short,dry. Pitch: good

Sano 4

Outfield:short,dry. Pitch: good

SICG 1

Outfield:  short,dry . Pitch: good. JCA  staff will open the gate both days.

SICG 2

Outfield:  short,dry . Pitch: good. JCA  staff will open the gate both days.

Notes

SICG,s RIPARO is still not used now.

Please use a tent.

2019 Japan Cup Preview

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The Japan Cup continues to expand and in 2019 no fewer than 41 teams will be participating in Japan’s national T20 cricket competition.

The Japan Cup will again culminate in a three day finals series in Sano on the long weekend of October 12-14.

The 2018 Japan Cup was one to remember, the final ending in a tie between Ceylon XI and Alpha Quashers Yokohama before being decided with a Ceylon XI six on the last ball of the super over. Let’s look at how season 2019 may pan out.

West Kanto has become an interesting group with the addition of two new, exciting teams. Adore have been JCL stalwarts for a number of years but how will they fare in T20? Tokyo Rhinos are rumoured to have some hidden talent and could surprise a few teams. University XI, the most disciplined team in the region, are attempting to win West Kanto for the third year in a row but it might not be so easy this year. Inconsistency plagued Wyverns last year but their experienced players may be ready to fire. Akishima are inexperienced but are building for the future while Beans are always good for at least one upset a season.

It’s been a busy off season in Tokai with new teams popping up from left, right and centre to form what could be the most open and exciting T20 league in Japan. It’s almost impossible to predict who might finish on top but Nagoya Bengal Tigers would have to be the favourites after some impressive performances last year. Of the newcomers Aichi are a club on the rise and Mervicks have some seasoned cricketers who could form a formidable unit. Tsushima will be hoping for some early wins while Fuji have plenty of experience to draw upon.  It’s hard to know what to expect from Suzuka but don’t discount them.

Looking Westwards, the Kansai group is as exciting as it has every been, expanding to six teams in 2019. Big hitting Kobe Hawks brushed all aside last year and deserve their status as favourites for this year. However, Osaka Raiders might be ready to pounce after mixed results in their first year. Keihan are bursting with athleticism and youthful enthusiasm and will be a hard team to beat. Perhaps the youngest team in the Japan Cup are Uenomiya, who have been  a factory for producing national team players. Shiga have the experience to finish near the top of the league while new boys Kansai Tigers will bring an international flavour to the league.

The redevelopment of the Sammu ground is complete and this year’s East Kanto league promises to be highly competitive. Men In Blue have been the force in the region and it would be brave to bet against them this year. Nippon Tigers could be the team to challenge after a successful first season last year while the Chiba Sharks will fancy themselves after a return to T20 form. Tokyo Falcons are well organised and are every chance to be there at the end. Also watch out for Tsukuba, who are full of talent, and also Rising Stars who may be ready to step up a notch this year. Tokyo Titans are the wild card of the group.

In North Kanto the 2018 national champions Ceylon XI are highly fancied to qualify in first place again but they will face stiff competition from a youthful but talented Sano team. Rakuten are expected to improve on last year’s efforts while newcomers GIIS-Tigers will be the unknown quantity.

The South Kanto league has always been tough to qualify from and this year 10 teams will be fighting it out at the Yokohama Country & Athletic Club. 2017 Japan Cup champions and last year’s runners up Alpha Quashers Yokohama are again the team to beat but there are plenty of teams that will challenge them. Tigers have yet to fire in the T20 format but could 2019 be their year? Indian Engineers will be full of confidence after going all the way to the national semi-finals last year and Tokyo Wombats can never be underestimated. First time Japan Cup participants Shonan and Ebina are fancied to cause some upsets and the British Embassy are also a growing force. Aoyama Gakuin are slowly becoming a competitive outfit while Keio Knights are tipped to be the big improvers in the region. Finally, let’s not forget the oldest cricket team in Japan, the YC&AC. They might be at long odds to win the Japan Cup but have a habit of causing upsets.

Lastly, Tohoku will again feature two teams. Matches will be played in Shichigahama, a city that will hopefully become the “city of cricket” in the region. Sendai CC and Sendai Lions XI will lock horns in a five match series which is sure to be hotly contested.

JCL Round Three Report: Solemn Weekend as JCL Respects Richard Laidler

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Richard Laidler was a giant of a man in terms of Japan Cricket. After his passing last Thursday it was superb to see his memory honoured by a minutes silence at the start of the Japan Cricket League matches in Round Three.

At times such as this results tend to take a back seat so before we get on to the games we would like to inform everyone that an informal farewell to “Laids” will be hosted by his club the Tokyo Wombats at the Hub in Ueno from 6pm on Wednesday 15th May.

Wombats President Richie Bracefield said: “He epitomized what it means to be a Wombat. Truly one of a kind, he will be missed and fondly remembered as a genuine club legend.”

One Short would like to send our condolences to all who knew Laids, especially his family and teammates.

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The Wombats had proposed the minutes silence and also wore black armbands in their match against the Alpha Quashers of Yokohama. Batting first the Wombats battled to 152 all out courtesy of 32 each from Richie Bracefield and Dean Abbott, the latter being a barnacle-like 88-ball vigil.

Manivannan Maruthamuthu 4/18 was the best bowler for the Quashers, but the 50 wides they bowled as a team must be a serious worry for their bowlers.

Devendra Dhaka top scored in the chase, also with 32, while Vignesh Bandi collected 4/46, but ultimately the Quashers had enough batting to get home by three wickets inside 28 overs to claim a bonus point.

MAX CC ended the Chiba Sharks unbeaten start to the season with an impressive bowling display. Talha Tanveer (2/13) grabbed two early wickets but when veteran Takuro Hagihara cleaned up Dhugal Bedingfield MAX knew they were well in the game. Nine of the ten wickets to fall went to catches, Makoto Taniyama finishing with 4/16 and only Rui Matsumura showing any real staying power as he top scored with 21 in a measly total of 82 all out.

Sharks battled hard in response, grabbing five wickets as they tried to defend the total.  Mahesh Kumar collected 2/4 but 20 from Kazumasa Takahashi at the top of the order, and a typically aggressive 27 from Supun Nawarathna did the groundwork for a five-wicket win inside 15 overs for a bonus point win.

Wyverns Cricket Club are now one of five clubs with two wins and a loss after three rounds as they put together a good team performance to see off the Men in Blue by 74 runs. Batting first Wyverns had contributions all the way down the order. Wataru Miayuchi anchored the innings with 39 at the top with contributions in the middle order.

However it was the explosive batting at the end from Buddika Nanayakkara (42 from 24) and Takuya Ono (23* from 11) who, with seven sixes between them) lifted Wyverns to a daunting 247/7 after 40 overs. Mohamed Thouseef was the pick of the bowlers with 3/53.

Although Abhishek Telang (25) and Amit Dubey (37) made a positive start with a 58-run opening stand, once that was broken the rest of the batting fell away as Nanayakkara grabbed 3/30 and Junmei Hanada a Division One best of 4/18.

The Tigers bounced back from their defeat in Round Two with a comprehensive win over Tokyo Falcons, who themselves remain without a point and rooted to the foot of the table.

Urminder Singh, who suffered a bereavement of his own just a week ago, made a career best 84 to take Tigers to 208/7, Piyush Kumbhare (31*) and Joe George (22*) with an entertaining partnership of 42* for the eighth wicket proving pivotal.

The Falcons never got going in the chase as Tigers took early wickets through Ragesh Nair (2/19) and Sabaorish Ravichandran, making up for his lean form with the bat by grabbing 4/14 to move top of the wicket-taking charts for the season so far. Dismissed for 96 meant a 112-run win for the Tigers, and a bonus point to boot.

Richard Laidler Passes Away

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As most of the Japan cricket community are already aware, former Japan National Coach and Player Richard Laidler passed away last Thursday, 9th May.

Richard, who both played for and coached the Japan National Team, had a huge influence on Japan cricket and will be sorely missed by all at the JCA, as well as those from his club, The Tokyo Wombats and the wider cricket community. We send our condolences to his family and our thoughts are with them at this time. 

JCA CEO Naoki Miyaji said: “It is hard to think of anyone who has had a bigger impact on cricket in Japan than Richard. What stands out the most are the values he spread through his junior coaching program at Gunma International Sportspeaks, which we still see ingrained into the fabric of Japan Cricket now, and we hope forever.”

Through his junior program Richard produced many players who went on to represent Japan at international level. Several of these took part in the “Under 15 Cricket 8s” tournament in Indonesia back in 2009, as can be seen in the photo.

Clubs around Japan held a minutes silence for Richard as a mark of respect during the recent round of Japan Cricket League matches, with many also wearing black armbands in his memory.

An official statement from the Tokyo Wombats said the following:

“The Club was saddened by the news of the passing of Richard Laidler. Not only a keen cricketer, Laids was also a great friend, coach, and mentor to many. His enthusiasm, selflessness, humour, and love for the game was infectious and brought out the best in others, both on and off the park.

Despite his prolonged illness, he remained a fierce competitor and positive presence until the end. We express our deepest condolences to Richard’s family and extend our thanks and appreciation to them for sharing him with us for so long.”

The Wombats will be hosting an informal farewell to Richard in Tokyo on Wednesday 15th May. This will be held from 6pm at the Hub in Ueno and all are welcome to attend.

The JCA would like to encourage anyone in the cricket community to share their pictures and stories of Richard with us and we plan to create a suitable tribute to his memory in due course.    

May he Rest in Peace.