JAPAN

Though expatriates still account for the bulk of cricket played in Japan, the game is now being played all over the country and locals are gaining in numbers and enthusiasm. We are seeing at least one new university team a year, and all but two of the positions in the Japan Cricket Association are now held by Japanese. Japan’s only cricket magazine, The Straight Bat, sponsored a competition of two-day matches, with five teams entered. The winning team, Tokyo Bay CC, was founded only two years ago by one of the new pioneers of Japanese cricket, Fumito Miyakawa. Having previously experienced only 35-over cricket, it took some time for the locals to become accustomed to the longer game, but Mr Miyakawa, who had been to New Zealand to study cricket, led his team to a well-deserved victory over Senshu University. The Straight Bat also sponsored the second annual Challenge Cup for beginners, with 65 players vying for honours. The cup was won by Ms Miki Koyama for her dedication, enthusiasm and all-round cricket skills. The Yokohama Country and Athletic Club’s fourth annual six-a-side competition had to be held over two days to accommodate all those who wanted to play, and even then some missed out; victory went for the second year running to the Edogawa Falcons. The season ended with a bang when Jeff Thomson came to Tokyo and conducted three days of coaching on behalf of the JCA. Trevor Bayley, Wisden 1995