50-over domestic league to be introduced into Japan

The Japan Cricket Association will conduct its first domestic limited overs knockout series this season. The 12-team series has been introduced with a view to acclimatising potential national players to 50-over matches, the format used in most international tournaments. It also allows the JCA to re-establish its relationship with the sponsor of the competition, Rover Japan. Rover provided free 12 month use of a car to the 1997 player-of-the-year award recipient.

Elsewhere, the JCA has made important off-season gains as the start of the main domestic competition, the Gunma Cup, looms. These include: exclusive use of its own ground with the possibility of obtaining a lease in 2000; a Maebashi elementary school becoming only the second school in Japan to introduce cricket to its sports programme with a strong possibility Fourth Year students will be introduced to cricket using Kanga cricket gear. This is somewhat of a breakthrough considering the JCA has sold about 100 sets of Kanga kits and most go unused.

Importantly, indigenous Japanese are now moving into administration. By player consent, the Gunma Cup, to commence next month, will be reduced from 11 teams to 10 this season. The reduction means each team will get at least three matches in the Cup. Gunma Cup matches are played over two days.