Japan national cricket team

Infobox non test cricket team
country_name = Japan

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image_caption = Flag of Japan
icc_member_year = 1989
icc_status = Associate member
icc_region = East Asia/Pacific (formerly Asia)
current_captain = Tetsuo Fuji
WCL_division = Five (provisionally)
regional_tournament = World Cricket League EAP region
regional_tournament_division = n/a
first_match = 6 September 1996 v Brunei at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
world_ranking = 37th (equal with two other teams)
regional_ranking = 4th
asofdate = 29 October 2007

The Japan national cricket team is the team that represents the country of Japan in international cricket matches. They have been an associate member of the International Cricket Council since 2005, having previously been an affiliate member since 1989. [http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Countries/64.html Japan] at CricketArchive] They are currently ranked at equal 37th in the world and at fourth amongst non-test teams in their region. [http://www.icc-cricket.com/icc/development/one-day_rankings.html ICC's one-day rankings] ]

History

Cricket was first played in Japan in 1868 when a group of English merchants living in Yokohama founded the Yokohama Cricket Club, playing their matches on what eventually became the Yokohama Stadium. [ [http://www.ycac.or.jp/Default.aspx?ID=8 About the Yokohama Country & Athletic Club] ] The club, now renamed as the Yokohama Country & Athletic Club, still plays cricket today. [http://www.ichiharasharks.com/japancricket.html Article about Japanese cricket] ]

Cricket did not become organised until the 1980s, when the Japan Cricket Association was formed. They became an affiliate member of the ICC in 1989, and the national team first played in the 1996 ACC Trophy, losing all their games including a 380 run defeat by Fiji. [http://www.cricketeurope4.net/CRICKETEUROPE/DATABASE/1996/TOURNAMENTS/ACCTROPHY/about.shtml 1996 ACC Trophy] at CricketEurope] They continued without success in the 1998 tournament [http://www.cricketeurope4.net/CRICKETEUROPE/DATABASE/1998/TOURNAMENTS/ACCTROPHY/about.shtml 1998 ACC Trophy] at CricketEurope] and the 2000 tournament. [http://www.cricketeurope4.net/CRICKETEUROPE/DATABASE/2000/TOURNAMENTS/ACCTROPHY/about.shtml 2000 ACC Trophy] at CricketEurope]

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. [ [http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/118/118338.html Scorecard] of Australia Cricket Board Indigenous v Japan, 1 March 2002 at CricketArchive] Indonesia and South Korea were the other teams in the tournament. [ [http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Seasons/AUS/2001-02_AUS_East_Asia_Eights_2001-02.html 2002 East Asia Eights] at CricketArchive] 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. [ [http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/101/101799.html Scorecard] of Japan v Indonesia, 29 May 2004 at CricketArchive]

In June 2005, Japan were promoted to associate membership of the ICC 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. [ [http://www.icc-cricket.com/icc/development/east-asia-pacific/tournaments/eap_cricket_cup_2005/ 2005 EAP Cricket Cup] , ICC official website] 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. [ [http://www.cricketeurope4.net/CRICKETEUROPE/DATABASE/2006/TOURNAMENTS/WCLEAP1/about.shtml 2006 EAP Cricket Trophy] at CricketEurope]

Tournament History

ACC Trophy

*1996: First round
*1998: First round
*2000: First round

The future

Japan are set to play in the 2007 ICC EAP Cricket Trophy in Auckland, New Zealand, playing against the Cook Islands, Indonesia, Samoa, Tonga and Vanuatu. [ [http://www.icc-cricket.com/icc/development/east-asia-pacific/newsletter/OCTOBER_2007.pdf ICC EAP newsletter] , October 2007] The top two teams from this tournament will qualify for Division Five of the World Cricket League in Jersey. [ [http://www.cricketeurope4.net/CRICKETEUROPE/DATABASE/TOURNAMENTS/GLOBAL/WCL/structure0609.pdf World Cricket League structure] , 2006-2009]

2008 ICC World Cricket League Division Five

quad

ee also

*Japan national women's cricket team

References

External links

* [http://www.cricket.or.jp/ Japan Cricket Association Official Site] - in Japanese