Japan's Gunma Cup gets underway (21 Jun 1999)

21 June 1999

Japan's Gunma Cup gets underway

"Cricket Around The World's" mystery correspondent, "Kouragi Skee", provides this update on the Gunma Cup, Japan's main domestic competition.

The first game finally got off to a good start on May 22nd. Wyverns, perennial pre-season favourites thanks to a strong line up on paper, faced the 'new' Adolescents. A-Dou-Lay as they are known here picked up a few new players this year and under captain Takao Itoh seem to be developing a stronger team spirit. They won the toss and put Wyverns in to bat. Kotani has been sadly out of form for some time but started to look as if it was all coming back when he had a sudden rush of blood to the head and hit right over the top of a straight delivery from Itoh. Yano was watchful and careful, Hanada played his usual carefree innings and Sunil (from Nepal) played very well but the rest of the team looked as if it was the first time they had held a bat. Their innings was all over shortly after lunch and 117 did not look nearly enough. Morishita was the surprise for Adole, picking up 4 for 15, including danger man Baba.

A much more relaxed approach to the task was adopted by Ohhira and his opening partner. Unfortunately for them Hanada was firing. With the wind blowing across the pitch the swing away from the bat was happening very late and the batsmen were just unable to pick it up. Time and again his extra bounce saw the ball clearing off stump by a few millimetres. Ohhira was the unlucky one when he got one that didn't bounce as high and brought the end to a slow, but solid, start. Only Nakazawa was able to cope with the Wyverns bowling but he was not enough and first innings points went to Wyverns.

The second innings followed much the same pattern but Nakazawa starred with the ball. He can be very nippy and gets sufficient cut on the ball to have it under the ribs which is often too much for the middle/late order. After Itoh and Igarashi had removed the top order, with Baba looking momentarily menacing, Nakazawa cleaned up. He finished with four wickets for nine off six overs and Wyverns were in deep trouble. Ohhira had suffered a minor injury in the field so the batting order had to be re-arranged a little. This exposed some weaknesses to Hanada but he was unable to take advantage of them. An innings of Boycott proportions by Tsukada and some very intelligent calling and running by Sakamoto when the pressure was on saw Adolescents take the win against the odds.

The second game saw Far East against Aoyama. Far East have invested in team shirts this year and as the first team in the Gunma Cup to really take the extra trouble (Wanderers had their logo embroidered into M&H shirts last year) announced their intentions to be a strong contender for this year's cup. They got off to a disappointing start after being sent in to bat.

Yusuke (Yooskay) Yamamoto found his line and became the first player in Gunma Cup history to take a hat-trick and none of the batting 'stars' could produce the goods. Though facing only a small target, and with national Captain (and ex-Sydney lower grade player) Fuji opening the batting, Aoyama could not find an answer to Orita. Opening the bowling for the first time in three years he reproduced some of the form that had him at the top of the bowling tables for the first three years of the GC. Though they avoided the follow-on they did not look to be in a very good position. With no pressure except time, Far East relaxed and produced some very fine cricket.

Aoyama chased everything but the experience of Far showed through. Captain Jun Saito led the way with a stylish unbeaten 43. With plenty of time and a big target Amino spearheaded the bowling attack having Fuji dropped or missed at least 6 times in his first three overs. That was to be Amino's fortune for the day and it was left to Orita and Kozu to secure the points for Far with only Fuji, testing his luck at times, putting up any resistance. In this game last year Fuji stole the victory through some very enterprising batting and running, but lacked the support to repeat.

Wyverns returned to face MAX and were again put into bat and again suffered from a lack of application. This time Okamoto and Toyama ran through them taking 3/19 and 4/19 respectively. Well supported by some very good fielding which resulted in two run outs, MAX found themselves in a very good position when their turn came to bat. Most of the team contributed something with MAX MAN Nakamura leading the way in his own entertaining manner. Even without last year's cricketer of the year, Yamaguchi (who fractured a rib snowboarding in the off season) they comfortably took first innings points. With only 20 minutes to play at the end of a long, tiring day MAX were clearly in the box seat and took full advantage of it sending Wyverns to the bath at 3/15 and danger man Hanada one of the victims. The second morning treated us to one of the most meaningful partnerships of the year. Baba shrugged off his usual carefree attitiude and knuckled down to share an 85 run partnership with the dour Yano. They never looked in any trouble, they called and ran well and it was a lapse in concentration that saw them try to steal a quick single to Jonty Shibata. Baba run out for 30 including only three boundaries. After Yano departed shortly thereafter for a well made 42 the rest of the team contributed nothing with Okamoto and Toyama again sharing all the wickets. This time Okamoto improved with 5/16 off 17 overs. Hanada is a very strong competitor and the game is never over for him. He and Tamai came in very strong and at 3/14 things were not looking at all certain for MAX. But Hirayama reversed the pressure. With so few runs to play with as soon as he started taking the quick single the field had to open up and his very fine calling and running saw MAX take full points leaving Wyverns in the unaccustomed position of resting near the bottom of the table.

The fourth game saw current holders Tokyo Bay take on Adolescents. Undaunted by their reputation Itoh had no hesitation in putting the Bay into bat. It turned out to be a very good decision and with the exception of Minami, no-one looked comfortable against the good variety of bowling served up by Adole. Itoh himself led the way with his newly acquired slower ball, and though a little expensive compared to other performers in the cup, secured four very valuable wickets. Hashimoto chipped in with the wicket of Minami for 39 and one other at a personal cost of five runs from six overs. Bay clearly missed the services of Wadano, absent through work commitments on the first day, and opened the bowling with Minami and Inoue.

I have long thought that Inoue is one of the better bowlers in Japan. His greater height and whippy action get him some fearsome bounce from off a length. He gave many bruises in return for his seven wicket haul but it wasn't enough to stop first Ohhira and then that man Nakazawa from pouring salt on the wounds of a low total. At the end of the day the Bay were facing a first innings deficit of 95, a very unusual situation for them. Nakazawa contributed a very good 82 to the Adole total. The Bay turned up on the second morning and gave us all a clear demonstration of why they are the champions. They are the first team to exhibit any kind of mental preparation and strength and those attributes are clearly thanks to Minami with support from the rest of the team. They played the first ball of the morning as if they were in the lead and then proceeded to dominate for the whole day. Led by veteran opener Miyakawa (who played club cricket in NZ with Adam Parore some 8 years ago) ably supported by Minami and then Inoue the Bay became the first team this year to pass 200. Using the same mental strength and with the added bonus of Wadano to take the new ball they completely destroyed Adole in their second innings, never even giving them a look at their target. Wadano himself thought he could have done better but figures of 10.2-3-10-5 speak for themselves.

At this stage MAX lead the table with 18 points with Far East second. The journey up from Tokyo has a serious effect on first day performance with fatigue playing a heavy part in lack of concentration. The first two half centuries came in the last game and the first ever bowling variation appeared with Takao Itoh's very good slower ball. With no hint of rain, a very hard wicket and fast outfield, we are set to see some good competition in this year's Gunma Cup.