Beyond the Test World
Samurai swagger in genteel old game
With the ICC World Cricket League Division Five set to take place in Jersey in May, the Mainichi Daily News has an interesting article on Japan’s preparations for the tournament.
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
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Naoki Alex Miyaji typically opens the bowling for Japan, but that's not the only way the 29-year-old son of a Japanese father and Scottish mother bends his back on behalf of the game in this country. He's also the CEO of the Japan Cricket Association (JCA), an NPO entrusted with the task of promoting the world's second-most popular participation sport in a land where, for the majority, Cricket is the name of a fashion label.
Despite the iconic surroundings of the playing headquarters at the foot of the country's most sacred peak and bullet trains hurtling past at regular intervals, Fuji Cricket Ground is also symbolic of the state of the game's status in Japan. Its two pitches are among no more than a handful found throughout the entire country. And they're located about 150 kilometers from the center of Tokyo, making a trip there a costly effort in terms of both time and money, an even greater drain considering the core of the game here revolves around university student players.
Nonetheless, Japanese cricket is making inroads. Miyaji estimates there are about 2,000 senior and junior cricket players in competitions that include expatriate-centered and university leagues. JCA has branches in Kanto, Kansai, Hokkaido and Shikoku. Nationwide, almost 6,000 boys and girls have been taught about the sport.
Full postCampbell powers West Indies Under-15s
John Campbell struck 112 for West Indies Under-15s in the CLICO International Under-15 Championship
Will Luke
25-Feb-2013
John Campbell struck 112 for West Indies Under-15s in the CLICO International Under-15 Championship. Click here for the full report. Scorelines and cards for the other matches can be found below.
West Indies 237 (Campbell 112) beat Bangladesh 200 (Nelson 3-43) by 37 runs
Scorecard
Scorecard
Ireland 111 for 3 (Getkate 31*) beat Kenya 110 (Karim 46, Getkate 4-17) by seven wickets
Scorecard
Scorecard
Pakistan 332 for 5 (Naeem 90) beat Netherlands 102 (Worries 20, Gohar 3-32) by 230 runs
Scorecard
Full postScorecard
Ghai slams Cricket Kenya over elections
In what has to amount to one of the most remarkable cases of the pot calling the kettle black, former KCA chairman Sharad Ghai has told The Nation that Cricket Kenya is in breach of an agreement with the ICC by not holding elections.
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
In what has to amount to one of the most remarkable cases of the pot calling the kettle black, former KCA chairman Sharad Ghai has told The Nation that Cricket Kenya is in breach of an agreement with the ICC by not holding elections.
Ghai told The Nation: "CK should not use the delay in the amendments of the Nairobi Provincial Cricket Association's constitution as an excuse for delaying the elections because they would not affect the number of delegates allocated to the province."
Full postBruce Patterson retires
Will Luke
25-Feb-2013
Bruce Patterson, one of Scotland's leading run-scorers, has announced his retirement from the game aged 43.
"Unless there is a goal it is difficult to get motivated for club cricket and it's a few years since I last played for Scotland. I've had a fantastic career and would like to thank everyone who has helped me along the way.
Pakistan beat West Indies in U-15 final
Pakistan beat hosts West Indies by two runs in a tense final of the International Under-15 Knockout final at Warner Park.
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
Pakistan beat hosts West Indies by two runs in a tense final of the International Under-15 Knockout final at Warner Park.
Pakistan 219 (Babar 70, Nawaz 58, Hodge 3-38) beat West Indies 217 (Brathwaite 77, Mayers 55, Campbell 48, Jamil 4-28, Qadir 4-33) by two wickets
Full postPakistan scramble into U-15 final
West Indies easily beat an ICC Americas XI in the semi-finals of the CLICO International Under-15 Championship, setting up a final against Pakistan, who edged out Bangladesh in the other semi-final.
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
West Indies easily beat an ICC Americas XI in the semi-finals of the CLICO International Under-15 Championship, setting up a final against Pakistan, who edged out Bangladesh in the other semi-final.
West Indies restricted ICC Americas to 166 in their 50 overs, with John Campbell doing most of the damage with 6 for 43 after they had seemed on course for a much higher total thanks to Abhijit Joshi (50) and Nitish Kumar (39). Kraigg Brathwaite was again amongst the runs for the West Indies. He followed his century against Malaysia with 65 not out, and with Raymond Senior making an unbeaten 68, the West Indies cruised to an eight-wicket win with 23 overs in hand.
Pakistan were strolling to victory over Bangladesh at 99 for 1 chasing 131, but from there they crashed to 120 for 8, Zazeef Ahmed grabbing 5 for 23, before their ninth-wicket pair scrambled them over the finishing line.
West Indies 168 for 2 (Senior 68, Brathwaite 65*) beat ICC Americas XI 166 (Joshi 50, Kumar 39; Campbell 6-43, Hodge 2-10) by eight wickets
Full postCanada's women finish with another loss
Canada’s women finished their tour of Trinidad & Tobago with a third heavy defeat, losing by eight wickets to the Under-21 side in a match reduced by rain to 35 overs a side
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
Canada’s women finished their tour of Trinidad & Tobago with a third heavy defeat, losing by eight wickets to the Under-21 side in a match reduced by rain to 35 overs a side. Canada managed 98 for 8 and in reply the U-21s cruised home with 15.3 overs to spare.
Full postEast-Asia Pacific equipment drive successful
The equipment drive during the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne has been hailed as a success, but more kit is called for.
ESPNcricinfo staff
25-Feb-2013
The equipment drive during the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne has been hailed as a success, but more kit is called for.
Members of the Australian public were called upon to donate unused kit to help developing countries in East-Asia Pacific and some parts of Australia. Since the test we have continued to have equipment donated from local cricket clubs and schools, including donations from New South Wales and Western Australia. More than 600 items of equipment were donated in total.
The growth of cricket within the EAP regional countries – including Japan, Cook Islands and Samoa - has reached enormous proportions in recent years. Over 35,000 people now play cricket there, compared with around 15,000 in the year 2002. This has created large increases in the demand for cricket equipment, with which the ICC EAP office and the respective regional countries cannot keep up. The equipment donated will go a long way in making sure everyone gets the chance to play cricket.
“We welcome any donations of equipment at any time,” said a spokesman for the project.
Full postGhana win Africa tournament
Ghana beat Swaziland by five wickets to win the ICC World Cricket League Africa Region Division Three
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
Ghana beat Swaziland by five wickets to win the ICC World Cricket League Africa Region Division Three. At the moment we have no further details.
Full postBermuda ditch two-day league
Bermuda's unpopular two-day cricket league has been scrapped
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
Bermuda's unpopular two-day cricket league has been scrapped. Instead the season will kick off with a new Twenty20 tournament, which will culminate with a Stanford-style final under lights at the National Centre.
In a sign of the changing times that are sweeping the sport globally, Bermuda has embraced the popular no-holds barred format as the cricket board attempts to inject some excitement into the domestic season. The longer format will not disappear completely, with a two-division Open Cricket league established, following the basic format of the County Cup competitions.
The 50-over league remains unchanged and will get a low-key kick-off this weekend with two First Division matches involving Bermuda's Under-18 squad. Each team will play each other twice in the 14-game domestic league. The BELCO Cup will go ahead as normal but there will be no limited-overs knockout competitions.
Allen Richardson, who headed up a task force with the job of consulting the public and reorganizing the structure of the domestic leagues said the new Twenty20 competition was an important part of the process. "We want to bring the fans out and make it a family atmosphere and we also need to start putting together a squad that will go to Ireland for the 20-20 World Cup qualifier in August. This competition will gauge who will get into that squad."
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