Champions Trophy Won by Tochigi

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The inaugural Japan Cricket Association Champions Trophy was held in Sano on Sunday November 5th.

Eight teams, representing various tournaments around Japan, gathered at the Sano river ground to compete in a round robin tournament consisting of eight over matches.

The event was co-hosted by the Ryomo Muslim Inbound Promotion Council and in an entertaining day of cricket over 100 sixes were hit as the hard tennis ball was sent flying over the boundaries.

The trophy and winners cheque of ￥100000 went to the Tochigi Cricket Club who had previously won the SLAEAJ Cup and Saori Cup earlier in the year.

Runners up Rangeeley Sher, who had qualified through the T8 Cup, received a cheque for ￥30000.

Nagoya entertained but were beaten by Tochigi in the semi final

Myoden looked impressive but also fell in the semis to Rangeeley Sher

Inaugural JCA Champions Trophy to be Held in Sano

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The first ever JCA Champions Trophy will be held on Sunday November 5th at the river grounds in Sano.

The Champions Trophy brings together the best teams from modified soft-ball tournaments around Japan. Teams qualify by winning modified tennis ball or taped ball tournaments such as the SBI Cup, the SLAEAJ Cup, the Tochigi Challenge Cup.

The eight participating teams at the Champions Trophy will come from as far as Nagoya and Toyama to crash the hard tennis ball to all parts of the Sano grounds in a tournament that will consist of 8 over matches to be completed in less than an hour.

The JCA recognises that cricket in Japan can be quite a diverse sport, with a lack of space and access to playing facilities, as well as time, financial and travel restraints leading to many different forms of the game being in existence. The Champions Trophy seeks to bring these tournaments together and promote modified forms of cricket in Japan.

The event is co-hosted by the Ryomo Muslim Inbound Promotion Council, whose aim is to promote cultural diversity in the town of Sano. While the trophy and ￥100,000 prize are major draws, part of the appeal comes from how the event has been framed abroad—in some cases showing up alongside opinie o kasynach online in travel blogs and expat forums discussing unexpected pockets of international hospitality in Japan.

Cricket Without Borders Visit Concludes

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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.

Maddi Tobias, the fourth Cricket Without Borders intern to Japan, completed her visit on Monday 23rd October.

While in Japan Maddi was certainly kept busy, as followers of her blog (English only) will know. Her time was divided into two weeks in Sano and four in Akishima and she stayed with a total of four different families across the two Cities of Cricket, two of whom hosted for the first time.

Her experiences have been wide ranging, from delivering clinics at schools and clubs, to umpiring in the Under 15 semi-final and scoring at the Japan Cup Finals, where she was also called into action to help clearing the field of water after a particularly heavy rainstorm threatened to stop matches going ahead.

Maddi has seen plenty of Japan and, thanks to the families she stayed with, had many authentic Japanese experiences including Purikura and gyoza making!

The Japan Cricket Association would like to thank Maddi for all her hard work, and the Cricket Without Borders organisation for continuing to send such excellent young women to Japan to assist with the growth of cricket here. We look forward to the next intern in 2018!

Annual Awards Night Announced

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The JCA are delighted to announce that the Annual Awards Night will take place on Saturday 2nd December in Shibuya.

The purpose of the event is for the cricket community to come together and celebrate individual and team successes over what has been an excellent season.

There will be awards across all the major competitions as well as the JCL Team of the Year being announced.

Various other prizes will be available to be won and we hope to see many of the cricket community come along. The main details are below and don’t forget that partners are welcome.

  • Date: Saturday 2nd December
  • Time: 17:00 – 19:30
  • Venue:  Shibuya Kashikiri Party Space Cross Point
  • Address: 33-12 Udagawacho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, J+R ビルサイド R3F.
  • Price: Men JPY 4,500 / Women & Students: JPY 3,500
  • Dress Code: Jacket & Tie or Equivalent

Thank you and see you all there!

Braves Under 15 Champions Again

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The North Kanto Braves have claimed their third Japan Under 15 League title in a row by defeating the Chiba My Ys in the final on Saturday October 14th in Sano.

Earlier in the day both teams had booked their place in the final through convincing wins.

In the first semi final the Braves defended a modest 100/9, bowling out the Lions for just 35. Opening  bowler Reiji Suto was named the MVP for his 3/3.

In the second semi the My Ys knocked up a respectable 129/6 against the Akishima Aviators, thanks largely to some late hitting from Hamdan Siddique. Yugandhar Retharekar’s 3/6 saw the My Ys to a comfortable 55 run win.

The final threatened to be a boil-over when My Ys speedster Ashley Thurgate clean bowled the Takahashi brothers in the same over. The Braves were at one stage reduced to 43/8 before a ninth wicket partnership between Shu Noguchi and Kiyo Fujikawa took them to 85/8 off their 20 overs. Ball in hand, Japan national squad player Kazumasa Takahashi (2/8) and his brother Shotaro (2/7) made a mess of the My Ys top order and in the end they were bowled out for 61, the Braves winning by 24 runs.

Braves keeper-batsman Shu Noguchi was awarded the MVP of the final for his 32* and four dismissals.

Meanwhile, in the third place play-off Akishima defeated the Lions. Both teams have plenty of potential and will look to challenge for the title next year.

Alpha Quashers Win the Japan Cup

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Last year’s runners up Alpha Quashers Yokohama yesterday went one step further by winning the 2017 Japan Cup T20 Final against the Wyverns Cricket Club.

The South Kanto champions went through the finals tournament unbeaten to become Japan champions for the first time.

The Quashers had contributions from several players throughout the tournament and this was evident in the final.

Captain Nandha Rangasamy was awarded player of the final for his 35 runs and 2 catches while Anees Thyranthakath clubbed 29 off 15 balls as the Quashers posted an imposing 164 off their 20 overs.

Karthik Vellingiri finished the job for the Quashers with 4/11 as the Wyverns were bowled out for just 92.

Earlier in the day the Alpha Quashers had comfortably beaten the East Kanto champions Men In Blue by 63 runs in the first semi final while in the other semi final the Wyverns caused an upset by defeating the highly rated North Kanto champions Samurai by seven runs thanks largely to the bowling of Shodai Yamada (3/26) and Makoto Taniyama (3/11).

In the play-off matches Kinki chased down Tokai’s 168 on the last ball of the match to claim 5th place and the University XI recorded an easy 10 wicket win against Tohoku to claim 7th.

The Japan Cup T20 competition continues to grow and the JCA and its regions are currently accepting applications from new teams to join next year.

Please contact us for more information: https://cricket.or.jp/en/about-jca/contact.

Final standings

Champions: Alpha Quashers Yokohama

Runners up: Wyverns

Equal 3rd: Samurai

Equal 3rd: Men In Blue

5th: Kinki

6th: Tokai

7th: University XI

8th: Tohoku

Japan Cup Finals Awards

MVP: Shodai Yamada (Wyverns)

Best Batsman: Souta Wada (Kinki)

Best Bowler: Makoto Taniyama (Wyverns)  

MVP: Shodai Yamada

Best Batsman: Souta Wada

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Best Bowler: Makoto Taniyama

Sano Claim Historic Double Victory

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The Japan Cricket League season ended with Sano Cricket Club completing an historic double victory, claiming the titles of Division One and Division Two.

It is the first time any club in Japan has won both divisions in the same season and credit must go to both individual teams.

The Division One title was claimed in a tense win against Wyverns CC, who cruelly miss out on their first ever title and must settle for a fifth runner’s up placing.

Batting first Sano lost early wickets as former Sano player Shodai Yamada (4/29) got amongst the top order. However Sano were held together by 41 from Rashid Rana and 33 from Uddika Pradeep, while another Sano old-boy Raheel Kano grabbed 3/29 to dismiss Sano for 173.

Wyverns chase began poorly as early wickets fell before Kano (58*) and a third ex-Sano player Naotsune Miyaji (42) combined for a strong partnership. However once Miyaji was dismissed the lower order was not able to contribute as captain Prabath Sankalpa ran through the tail, taking a decisive 4/33 to restrict Wyverns to 160/9 and earn his side a 13-run victory to claim the title.

If the Division One Final was always expected to be close, the Division Two contest had Alpha Quashers of Yokohama as firm favourites having registered a huge 123-run win over Sano in the final round of league matches a month ago.

Batting first Sano built their innings around an excellent 89 from opener Hasantha Ishara, who was well supported at the top of the order in partnerships of 90 with Mai Yanagida (25) and 75 with 14-year- old Kazumasa Takahashi (31). The final over of the first innings was truly remarkable, with five wickets falling including a hat trick for Manivannan Maruthamuthu (6/31), and a run out off the last ball as Sano finished 187/9 from their 40 overs.

While this was a promising total, the memory of AQCC scoring 238 against Sano so recently would have been fresh in the bowlers minds, but rather than caving into the pressure the two 14-year- old opening bowlers, Takahashi and Reiji Suto, responded magnificently. Suto grabbed the first breakthrough before Takahashi (4/16) went one better than Maruthamuthu and claimed a double hat trick to leave AQCC 14/5 at the end of five overs.

After that the result was a foregone conclusion as Sano dismissed AQCC for just 60 in 21.2 overs to claim their first ever Division Two title by 127 runs.

Congratulations to Sano CC and to all other teams who made the 2017 season such a memorable one.

Sano 2nd XI premiers 2017

JPL Match Day 3 Roundup: Hurricanes Storm into Final, Super Kings Smash Lions

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The impressive West Kanto Hurricanes booked themselves a place in the JPL final by twice beating a determined East Kanto Sunrisers team at Akishima on September 23rd.

In match one Sunrisers captain Navin Jinasena interestingly chose to bowl first in a match reduced to 14 overs due to heavy overnight rain. The outfield was at times treacherous and defending boundaries proved difficult.

Despite the conditions the Sunrisers managed to take regular wickets before Rinsei Sawada (21) and captain Tomoki Ota (36*) teamed up with some late hitting to guide the Hurricanes to 121. One lucky crowd member won a prize by managing to cling on to one of Ota’s towering sixes. In reply, pinch-hitter Vivek Singh blasted 30 off 16 balls at the top of the Sunrisers order but the innings never really got going,medium pacer Shodai Yamada’s four wickets helping his team to a 26 run win.

In game two the Hurricanes chose to bat first again. Several players got starts, including Bebe Miyaji (30), who anchored the innings. Captain Ota (24) again provided some late fire works as the Hurricanes registered 153 off their 20 overs. Kuldeep Bisht came out firing for the Sunrisers, hitting four sixes on his way to 43 off just 20 balls. After his dismissal the Sunrisers could not keep up the momentum, spinners Raheel Kano, Makoto Taniyama and Miyaji sharing seven wickets between on the way to bowling out the Sunrisers for 126.

Meanwhile, over at Sano the South Kanto Super Kings continued on their merry way by making short work of the once feared North Kanto Lions.

In match one captain Hanif Khan made an enterprising start for the Lions with a quick-fire 30 before Super Kings spinner Devendra Dhaka pegged them back with a spell of 3/10. The Lions middle order failed to fire as they were bowled out for 91 in the 18th over. Prashant Kale’s 38 off 19 balls ensured the Super Kings would make light work of the chase, Japan captain Amigo Kobayashi (26*) guiding his team home with nine overs to spare.

The Lions batted first in match two and a fiery spell of 3/18 from speedster Gurman Singh soon had them on the back foot. A brief cameo, including four sixes, from veteran Naeem Qureshi briefly got the crowd off their seats before Dhaka again put the brakes on with 3/8 off his four overs, the Lions all out for 107. This time Richie Bracefield was the aggressor for the Super Kings, hitting three sixes in a row on his way to 37.  Rahul Koul (28*) finished the job for his team as they cruised to victory two wickets down in the 15th over.

The South Kanto Super Kings will face the West Kanto Hurricanes in the JPL final on Sunday October 22nd, 13:00 at Sano River Ground 3.

Japan Finish Second in Women’s East Asia Cup

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Japan finished second in the East Asia Cup after Hong Kong chased down a revised target in the penultimate over for the loss of five wickets.

The hosts, who had scored 161/3 and 151/3 in their previous matches, had looked like they were cruising to the win before a late fight back by Japan made the game interesting. However, it proved to be too little too late.

Batting first, Japan’s innings was anchored once again by Mai Yanagida, who was dismissed off the final ball for 35, but it was Rio Endo who really provided the impetus at a key time. Taking 15 off the 11th over, including a six over square leg, Endo’s aggression also served to bring Yanagida out of her shell and enabled the visitors to finish 90/4 from the 20 overs.

The Hong Kong batters had to deal with two rain interruptions, and it was after the second that things became interesting as the target was revised to 83 from 18 overs. The openers, Yasmin Dalwaani and Keenu Gill, had taken the score to 54/0 after 11 overs, but Shizuka Miyaji dismissed Gill first ball after the break sparking a collapse.

Miho Kanno bowled a wicket maiden in the 16th over as the Hong Kong lower order showed that the lack of batting they had done in the tournament made them vulnerable, but ultimately they had just enough to get over the line and claim their first ever East Asia Cup victory.

In the awards afterwards Japan featured prominently. Yanagida collected the MVP award for the final and Etsuko Kobayashi, who missed the last match, was named as the bowler of the tournament as well as third place in the competition MVP rankings. Yanagida then claimed second place in the same category, but Dalwaani, with 184 runs in three matches, was named best batter and overall MVP.

Earlier in the day defending champions China had edged out Korea to claim third place.

The East Asia Cup will take place next year with the men’s teams competing in China, before South Korea host the next women’s edition in 2019.

Japan Beat China and Qualify for EA Cup Final

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Japan qualified for the East Asia Cup Final with a thrilling seven-wicket win against China today that was inspired by Mai Yanagida.

Rain delayed the start of the match, and also forced the players off early in the first innings causing the match to be reduced to 17 overs-a-side. Wickets were hard to come by to start with but Shizuka Miyaji conceded only 12 runs from her four overs and Etsuko Kobayashi grabbed two wickets to keep China to a score of 85/6, which was recalculated to a target of 88 because of the rain during the innings.

Yanagida took charge in the run chase, staying calm after the China opening bowlers made scoring difficult in the early overs. Extras were helpful to both sides, and enabled Japan to keep the required run rate from going to more than six an over at any stage. Alongside Miho Kanno the score had moved on to 34 before the first wicket fell, Kanno caught hitting back to the bowler.

Madoka Shiriaishi was unable to get a score, but a partnership between Yanagida and Kobayashi of 41 in seven overs took Japan to within two runs of winning before Yanagida was dismissed by an absolutely outstanding catch by mid-wicket who dived full length to her left and scooped it off the ground. A score of 42 from 48 balls was enough from the captain and a no-ball allowed Japan to win with eight balls to spare.

The victory was the first time Japan had beaten China since 2010 and takes the team through to the East Asia Cup Final for the first time since it’s inception. The match will be played on Sunday, but Japan still have a game against Hong Kong to play tomorrow at 10:30am JST.