Japan national cricket team

Japan
Association Japan Cricket Association
ICC status Affiliate (1989)
Associate (2005)
ICC region ICC East Asia-Pacific
WCL n/a (regional tournaments)
Coach Dhugal Bedingfield
Captain Masaomi Kobayashi
First international
Japan Japan v. Brunei 
(Kuala Lumpur; 6 September 1996)
As of 9 August 2016

The Japan national cricket team is the team that represents the country of Japan in international cricket. The team is organised by the Japan Cricket Association (JCA), which has been a member of the International Cricket Council (ICC) since 1989. Japan made its international debut at the 1996 ACC Trophy in Malaysia. Most of the team's matches come in regional competitions, generally against other teams in the ICC East Asia-Pacific development region. Between 2008 and 2012, Japan participated in the World Cricket League (WCL), reaching WCL Division Five at one point.

History

Main article: Cricket in Japan

Cricket was introduced to Japan in the 1860s, by the British, but did not become organised until the 1980s, when the Japan Cricket Association was formed.[1] They became an affiliate member of the ICC in 1989,[2] and the national team first played in the 1996 ACC Trophy, losing all their games including a 380 run defeat by Fiji.[3] They continued without success in the 1998 tournament[4] and the 2000 tournament.[5]

After the 2000 ACC Trophy, they left the Asian Cricket Council and became part of the ICC's East Asia/Pacific region. They played in the East Asia Eights tournament in Australia in February 2002, finishing as runners-up to an Australian indigenous team.[6] Indonesia and South Korea were the other teams in the tournament.[7] In 2004, they hosted the East Asia Pacific Cricket Challenge tournament as part of qualification for the 2007 World Cup, finishing third after beating Indonesia in a play-off.[8]

In June 2005, Japan were promoted to associate membership of the ICC[1] and that year they played in the 2005 ICC EAP Cricket Cup in Vanuatu, winning the tournament after beating the Cook Islands in the final.[9] The following year they played in the 2006 ICC EAP Cricket Trophy in Brisbane finishing last in the three team tournament that also involved Fiji and the Cook Islands.[10]

In December 2007 Japan took part in the 2007 ICC EAP Cricket Trophy in Auckland, New Zealand, playing against the Cook Islands, Indonesia, Samoa, Tonga and Vanuatu.[11] Japan won the tournament and qualified for Division Five of the World Cricket League where they finished in tenth place out of the twelve countries represented[12] in Jersey.[13]

On March 22, 2016, it was announced that Sano, Tochigi, would be home to the Sano International Cricket Ground, which will become Japan's first dedicated cricketing venue built for purpose which no longer has to compete with other sports for usage.[14]

Tournament history

ACC Trophy

World Cricket League

Squad

The following table lists the 16 players in Japans's squad for the 2009 ICC World Cricket League Division Seven.[15]
Japan
Name Age Batting style Bowling style
Ko Irie 34 RHB
Gavin Beath 37 RHB RM
Kenji Murata 35 RHB LB
Masaomi Kobayashi (c) 34 RHB RM
Munir Ahmed 50 RHB LB
Naoki Miyaji 38 RHB RM
Patrick Giles-Jones 33 LHB LMF
Naotsune Miyaji 28 RHB RM
Tatsuro Chino (wk) 32 RHB
Cheema Razaq 38 RHB LFM
Takuro Hagihara 31 RHB RM
Fumihiko Uegaki 27 RHB
Yuta Matsubara 42 LHB LFM
Satoshi Nakano 29 RHB RM
Prashant Kale 34 RHB OB
Inamota Yatishika 31 LHB LB

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Article about Japanese cricket
  2. ↑ Japan at CricketArchive
  3. 1 2 1996 ACC Trophy at CricketEurope
  4. 1 2 1998 ACC Trophy at CricketEurope
  5. 1 2 2000 ACC Trophy at CricketEurope
  6. ↑ Scorecard of Australia Cricket Board Indigenous v Japan, 1 March 2002 at CricketArchive
  7. ↑ 2002 East Asia Eights at CricketArchive
  8. ↑ Scorecard of Japan v Indonesia, 29 May 2004 at CricketArchive
  9. ↑ 2005 EAP Cricket Cup, ICC official website
  10. ↑ 2006 EAP Cricket Trophy at CricketEurope
  11. ↑ ICC EAP newsletter, October 2007
  12. ↑ ICC's one-day rankings
  13. ↑ World Cricket League structure, 2006–2009
  14. ↑ "International Cricket Ground to be built in Japan". Japan Cricket Association. March 23, 2016. Retrieved March 23, 2016.
  15. ↑ Japan squad, Cricinfo.com Retrieved on 24 May 2009.
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