Panasonic Wild Knights Help Japan Cricket

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The Japan Cricket Association were delighted to welcome Panasonic Wild Knights Head Rugby Coach Tomokazu Soma to our National Squad training camps on the weekend of 27th and 28th April.

As well as running some drills on the field with our National Men and Academy Squads Soma-San also gave talks to our Academy, Men and Women’s squads on his journey in rugby during the last 20 years and the similarities he can see in the steps cricket is making.

After that he also spoke with everyone about creating a strong team culture and the benefits that can have on players within the group as well as new players coming in.

The JCA would like to thank Soma-San for giving up two days to work with us and we hope we can continue our developing partnership with the Wild Knights which has also included Head of Rugby Robbie Deans playing a few games and joining some training sessions in an informal capacity.

Japan Women Finish 5th in EAP Qualifier

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Tournament hosts Vanuatu defeated Japan by nine wickets to finish off the ICC Women’s Qualifier – EAP.

For the fifth match in succession Japan batted first and after losing an early wicket, looked well placed at halfway with the score 53/3. The dismissal of Erika Oda (19) started a disastrous collapse where four wickets were lost without the score increasing.

A late rally from Shizuka Miyaji (18*) lifted the team to 94/9 at the end of the 20 overs, but the score always looked below par and the Vanuatu openers made light work of it.

Valenta Langiatu scored 35 from 24 balls to set the tone, striking six boundaries, while Rachel Andrew anchored the chase with 31* to secure the win and enable Vanuatu to finish 3rd in the tournament while Japan end in 5th place.

Indonesia grabbed 4th spot as they recorded an eight-wicket win against Fiji, who finish 6th.

In the final match the two unbeaten teams, PNG and Samoa, played a high stakes match with the winner progressing to the next round of World Cup Qualifiers.

Samoa batted first but the PNG bowlers restricted them to 82/6 from their 20 overs. A partnership of 61 in the chase between Kaia Arua (27) and Brenda Tau (32*) eased the favourtites to victory by seven wickets.

Congratulations to PNG and good luck in the next round, and well done to all the teams competing. Thank you to all Japan fans for the support on social media throughout the competition.

Friday 10th 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 not used now.

Please use a tent.

Japan Earn First Official T2OI Win

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Japan Women had a mixed day in Vanuatu on match day three of the ICC Women’s Qualifier – EAP, recording their first win of the tournament but also a heavy defeat in their next game.

In the morning the opponent was Fiji, playing their first official tournament and, like Japan, without a win so far. Batting first Japan were in trouble after losing early wickets but youngster Eri Iko steadied the innings with 22 before veteran Shizuka Miyaji also made 22* at the end to boost Japan to 118/9 from 20 overs.

Excellent bowling in the second innings from Miyaji (2/19) and MVP Nao Tokizawa (2/7) put Japan in the driving seat before a fine spell and first wicket for Japan’s youngest ever female player, Ruan Kanai (1/11) squeezed Fiji further. They eventually finished on 87/8 after 20 overs as Japan won by 31 runs.

In the afternoon Japan encountered the tournament leaders and favourites PNG, who were rampant with the ball as they dismissed Japan for just 38, Kaia Arua taking five wickets. PNG chased the total down with ten wickets in hand in just 6.2 overs to stay on course for qualification.

In the other matches today Samoa comfortably defeated the hosts Vanuatu by 8 wickets to stay on the heels of PNG, before Vanuatu bounced back in the afternoon with a nervy win over Indonesia by 4 wickets.

British Army Women’s Tour Concludes

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The British Army Women’s team concluded their tour of Japan last week.

The Japan Cricket Association would like to formally extend our thanks to the Army team for helping our National Women’s Team prepare for the current ICC Women’s EAP Qualifier in Vanuatu and also for helping grow the game in new areas.

The Army team played six matches against the Japan National Team, and one against the British Embassy Cricket Club. Although the results did not go as they hoped, all the games were fairly close.

Coach of the team, Dan Wall, said: “We have been impressed by the standard of cricket among the Japanese girls and will be following their results closely from now on.

“It has been very good practice for our players and I think we can go into our season back in England well prepared.”

Along with playing matches in Sano the Army team also travelled to Sendai where they worked with the Sendai University Women’s Cricket Club to introduce the sport to new players as well as provide a demonstration to more than 200 interested spectators.

It is hoped that this visit will help encourage more people at the university to follow in the footsteps of Akari Kano, who only started playing cricket a year ago and is currently on her first tour with the Japan National Team.

The JCA CEO Naoki Miyaji said: “We are very happy to have hosted the British Army and are grateful for their willingness to travel and play matches. We hope that this can lead to more opportunities between the organisations in the future. They are welcome back anytime.”

Finally, Rob Newman of the British Embassy Cricket Club added: “It was fantastic to play against the Army Women, they were a fun bunch of players and it is great to see women’s cricket developing all over the world.”

Samoa Too Good For Improved Japan

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The Samoan batting lineup proved too good for the Japanese bowlers in our second match of the ongoing ICC Women’s Qualifier EAP taking place in Vanuatu.

Batting first Japan made an excellent start and were 51/1 after seven overs. The star of the batting was undoubtedly Akari Kitayama who struck eight boundaries on her way to a 54-ball 63, comfortably her best score for Japan. Her innings was made better by the constant rain delays.

Unfortunately wickets fell regularly and Japan were all out for 119 on the final ball of the 20 overs, Lily Mulivai the pick of the bowlers for Samoa with 4/18.

Japan’s hopes of an upset were quietly dashed by Samoa’s opening pair, Regina Lili’i and Lelia Bourne who both scored 47 as Samoa cruised to a win by nine wickets in 15.4 overs. There was something to celebrate for Japan however, as Kitayama was given the MVP award.

Elsewhere in the competition favourites PNG delivered a crushing 10-wicket win against newcomers Fiji to cement their place at the top of the table, while Samoa had a second win of the day, again by nine wickets, against Indonesia to keep them on target for a final round showdown with PNG. The home team Vanuatu also earned their first win of the tournament, defeating by 63 runs in a rain-affected encounter to put themselves into third place.

Japan will have a rest tomorrow before taking on both Fiji and PNG on Thursday.

Japan Defeated by Indonesia in 1st T20I

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The Japan Women’s Team played their first ever official T20 International (after the ICC recently granted full international status to all member nations) today, against Indonesia in the ICC Women’s EAP Qualifier in Vanuatu.

Batting first Japan made a rocky start but were indebted to Erika Oda who anchored the innings with 36* from 48 balls. She was aided at the end by Shizuka Miyaji (18* from 20) in an unbroken stand of 35 which lifted Japan to 101/6 from 20 overs.

It is testament to the improvement in standards in the EAP region that the total was not nearly enough against a team playing in their very first ICC Women’s competition.

The opening pair of Yulia Anggraeni (40 off 35) and Kadek Winda Prastini (25 off 41) broke the back of the target with an opening stand of 58 in 8.4 overs.

Although Rio Endo (2/14) made the breakthrough, Indonesia completed the chase in 17.2 overs to win by seven wickets and make a great start to the tournament.

Japan will play Samoa tomorrow, who won their first match of the tournament comfortably against Fiji by nine wickets.

Elsewhere in the tournament Papau New Guinea (PNG) recorded two wins, firstly defeating the hosts Vanuatu by 57 runs and then Indonesia in the afternoon by nine wickets to move top of the table at the end of day one.

Japan Women Arrive in Vanuatu for ICC Women’s EAP Qualifier

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The Japan Women’s Team arrived in Vanuatu this weekend with the ICC Women’s EAP Qualifier due to start on Monday 5th and finish on Friday 10th May.

Japan, who will be coached by Duncan Harrison from Cricket Victoria, and assisted by Naotsune Miyaji, have named a young squad with seven players on their first tour and are captained by Mai Yanagida.

It has been seven years since Japan Women last won a regional tournament, and although PNG and Samoa are likely to start as tournament favourites after their success in recent years, the Japan team are hopeful they can surprise a few people by getting good results.

The fixture list can be found on the JCA Events Page while there will be match reports on the JCA homepage after every game. To follow the matches more closely there will be updates on Twitter and Facebook and live scoring on ESPN Cricinfo and www.icc-cricket.com/womens-schedule/list

Good luck to all teams taking part.

Friday 3rd 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

Big traffic jam will happen this weekend!!!

Kushal Kamat Joins Sano Cricket Challenge

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At the start of April the Sano Cricket Challenge project, set up to manage Sano City’s local revitalisation project using Cricket which is funded by the National Government, appointed Kushal Kamat as Head of the Cricket Division.

Kushal has a storied history with Japan, having first visited before he was even born when his mother, Manik Kamat, was pregnant! His mother would go on to play a key role in his falling in love with Japan and ultimately coming to work here.

Manik brought her young son to visit properly when he was four years old, and their family would regularly host Japanese people in their home in Mumbai.

Kushal attended the Asia Pacific University (APU) in Kyushu from 2006 where he completed a Bachelor of Business Administration degree, which focussed on International Trade. Upon graduation he returned to India to work for Mitsui Corporation.

After eight years at Mitsui, when he finished as the Manager of Iron & Steel Products Department, Kushal decided it was time to focus on his greatest passion; cricket!

He spent two years training as a cricket player for five days a week, while also acting as a freelance interpreter and language teacher in Japanese.

In May 2017 Manik was offered a position in Japan which led to her learning about cricket in Japan and ultimately Kushal being put into contact with the Japan Cricket Association and then Sano Cricket Challenge.

Kushal aims to make the Sano Cricket Challenge sustainable within the next two years, which would also serve to safeguard his own future in Japan – something he is very keen to do.

“I love Japan, and I love cricket, so this is the perfect job for me! I am so excited to be here and to be involved in my passions.

“I believe that the Revitalisation of Sano City can be done by using cricket as a tool to promote and attract cultural events and activities. These will bring a greater understanding of the sport to the people of Sano while also creating more cultural awareness in the local population.”

Kushal will be based in Sano and will likely be seen around the Sano International Cricket Ground most weekends. He has already impressed by scoring 124* in his first cricket match of the season.

All at the JCA would like to welcome him to Sano and wish him all the best in his new role.