May 10th – Japan Cup Batting Masterclass

The Japan Cup squad (2025 Champions) continued their fine form with a clinical, high-scoring 30-run victory over the Chiba Hawks at Sano 3. Electing to bat first, the Sharks’ top order completely obliterated the Hawks’ bowling attack to post a massive 233/2 in their 20 overs. The innings included three half-centuries; Ghufy (85 off 49), Ash – in his first match since returning from Australia, rumour has it looking pumped – (56 off 33) and Takady (50 off 33 balls).
Faced with a mountainous chase, the Hawks launched a brutal counter-attack and looked dangerous at 111/0. However, Hammad stepped up to deliver a decisive, match-turning spell. Hammad picked up 3/41, taking a crucial double-blow in the 11th over to remove the dangerous opener and shift the entire momentum of the game. Tight death-bowling restricted the Hawks to 203/8, sealing a comfortable win for the Sharks.

May 16th – Sharks Take the Riverside by Storm

Saturday the 16th saw a rare event – both the 2nd and 3rd XI’s achieving decisive victories.

At Sano 1C the 2nd XI were on a different planet and blew away the KKR batters within 15 overs. Ash led the charge with an unbelievably destructive spell of 6 for 14 off 7.3 overs (including 3 maidens and 41 dot balls). Backed up by Eric Harrison (2/26), KKR were bundled out for just 45 runs. If the bowling was destructive the batting was pure fireworks; Rithvik smashing 16 from 5 balls and Ash 24 off 13. KKR`s total was chased down in just 2.5 overs (17 legal balls) to seal a massive 10-wicket victory and an early finish. Rithvik’s opening salvo earned him Player of the Match honors.

The 2nd XI looking happy after a massive win

Meanwhile over at Sano 4, the 3rd XI secured a convincing 3-wicket victory over the KKR 4th XI. A structured bowling performance saw Rahul tear through the top order with 3/32, while Matt delivered a masterclass in economy, finishing with figures of 1/12 from his 7 overs. Chasing 153, opening batter Asala anchored the innings beautifully, compiling a fluent 58 off 48 balls. A brief late collapse caused some minor nerves, but Rahul mirrored his first-innings heroics by walking out at number 9 to hit a crisp, pressure-relieving boundary to guide the Sharks home in the 27th over.

May 24th – A Tough Sunday In Sano

The gods of cricket did not look favourably on the Sharks on May 24th, with both the 1st and 2nd XI enduring tough defeats. The bad luck was compounded by a communications error on the 23rd which resulted in only one Shark reporting for Div 3 umpiring duty and causing a penalty of 1 run to be applied to all Sharks JCL teams.

The 1st XI suffered a humiliating 104-run defeat to AQCC at Sano 3 – their first loss of the season. After being asked to bowl, the Sharks were put on the back foot by a massive 115 run opening stand, but showed resilience and managed to spark a late collapse to bowl the Quashers out for 229. Muneeb (3/33 – with 30 dot balls), and Nikhil (3/35) were the pick of the bowlers. The chase started with intent, the Sharks getting 28 off their first 3 overs, but both openers were removed within the first 6 overs which put the Sharks on the back soot. Ghufi, coming in at 4, injected momentum with 39 off 33 balls, however his dismissal triggered a catastrophic batting collapse, seeing the Sharks crumble from 94/3 to 107/7 in the space of just 15 deliveries, eventually being bowled out for 125.

On the neighboring Sano 1B, the 2nd XI suffered a 48-run defeat to the Star Kings. The Sharks’ bowling was a true team effort, with five different bowlers picking up two wickets each as the bowled out the Start Kings for 211. The chase began with a flying, aggressive 55-run partnership in just 8 overs between Taiga and Hammad, the latter smashing a destructive 38 off 34 balls. Unfortunately, after the openers fell, the spin attack strangled the chase. Despite a lower-order fightback from Shige (31 off 43), the Sharks batters were overwhelmed and were bowled out for 163.

May 30th & 31st – Defiance in the Face of Defeat and a Forfeit

The final weekend of the month brought a mixed bag of results.

On May 30th, the 3rd XI fell short by 73 runs against a powerful Tigers 4th XI batting display at Sano 1D. Salman gave the Sharks a dream start with the ball, picking up 2/29 including 3 maidens, but a brilliant Tigers century pushed their total to an imposing 290/6.
Chasing a daunting target, the Sharks found themselves in deep trouble at 150/6. The show’s not over until the fat lady sings, however, and Salman was not in a singing mood – smashing a rapid 50 not out off just 32 deliveries (including 5 towering sixes). Partnering with Rahul (22 off 34), Salman ensured the Sharks batted out their full 35 overs to finish on a respectable 217/6.

Salman after his 50

May 31st was a quieter than expected end to the month as Tsukuba forfeited their Japan Cup East Kanto Division 1 clash, handing the Sharks a default 4 points to keep them flying high at the top of the table.

At the end of the month the Sharks were top of the table in the Japan Cup EK Div 1, 8th in JCL Div 1, 10th in JCL Div 2 and 3rd in JCL Div 4.

Late March in Sammu with the Sakura in bloom.

March – Season Launch

Our season opener on March 28th saw the 2nd XI take on Alpha Quashers. Asala made his “re-debut” after two seasons away, and we welcomed Subhan for his first game in Sharks colors. Ultimately the game did not go the 2nd’s way, but Umar impressed and came charging out the off-season with a superb 57 not out.

The following day, the Japan Cup squad (2025 Champions) secured our first win of 2026 against Men In Blue. Nikhil led from the front with a composed 33, while Muneeb and Freddy turned the screws with the ball to defend a total of 132.

Painting the crease on Sano 1A

April 4th – Rain and a Fifer

Drama was the theme at Sano Riverside 1A and 1B as the 1st and 3rd XI’s played on adjacent grounds in their JCL 1 and JCL 4 matches. Both games were ultimately called off due to rain in the first innings, the Sharks the fielding side in each game, and with both squads feeling that they had had the chance of a win taken by the weather. The 3rd`s match against Adore was all the more frustrating as it was the 3rd year in a row that the game had been called off because of rain!

However, the weather couldn’t steal the show from Kento. Playing his first game since last summer following a long injury layoff, and dropping down to the glorious 3rds to ease his way back in, Kento looked like he’d never been away. He dismantled the Adore 1st XI top order to claim a magnificent fifer (5/26). Unfortunately for the 3rds this performance saw Kanto promoted back to his rightful place in the 1st XI the following round. We also celebrated a New Shark debut in the JCL 4 game, with Ahmad making his first appearance.

On the neighboring pitch, Benjamin Ito was also in the wickets, taking 3/28, while Timmy bowled two incredibly tight maidens to finish with figures of 1/0.

Captains and umpires making a decision on the rain

April 11th & 12th – A Smashing Weekend

The 1st XI delivered a clinical performance on April 11th, suffocating the Rising Stars for just 78 runs. In an incredibly low-scoring affair, the winning total was less than 100, but Nikhil didn’t get the memo about it being a “bowler’s pitch”. He bludgeoned an unbeaten 58 off just 21 deliveries, including five massive sixes, to finish the chase in just 6.3 overs. Kento (3/16) and Ben (3/16) were the architects with the ball.

If Saturday was about speed, Sunday was about sheer volume. The 3rd XI posted a monster 314/4 against the Tokyo Falcons, there highest ever score to date. Ayush stole the show with a sensational unbeaten century (111 off 51 balls)*, totally demoralising the Falcon’s bowlers with his boundary hitting. Asala supported brilliantly with 66, while Will fell just short of his first half-century on 47.

April 18th & 19th: Hat-trick Heroics

The highlight of the Japan Cup clash against the Rising Stars on April 18th was Freddy and his hat-trick. Both Freddy (3/21) and Ben (3/19) took three wickets whilst Ghufi provided the backbone with the bat, top-scoring with 32, to help the Shark’s secure a 45-run victory.

The last Shark’s game of the month came relatively early on April 19th, and saw the 2nd XI fight a nail-biter against the Tigers. Sud was the model of patience holding up one end with 40 off 106 balls as the Sharks fought their way to 149/8. As the Tigers chased Rithvik gave them a scare with a clinical spell of 3/28, and Umar took to runouts, but it wasn’t quite enough to prevent a 3-wicket defeat in the 29th over.

Freddie celebrates his hatrick

At the end of the month the Sharks were top of the table in the Japan Cup EK Div 1, 3rd in JCL Div 1, 10th in JCL Div 2 and 2nd in JCL Div 4. But there is still a long way to go…..

Awards Night 2025

Held again at the magnificent Siddique Palace under Tokyo Tower, the Sharks came together for an evening of fun, celebration and the obligatory microphone and projector issues. Mairaj took away a life membership, Muneeb regaled the audience with his Quiz, Nick gave one of the longest acceptance speeches in Sharks history, Dhugal collected a long overdue ‘most runs in a year’ award from the Chiba Sharks Ichihara period and  Timmy (almost) smiled.

Ghufi, Manav, Abhi, Rahul and Ben showing off their awards.

Dhugal and Nick enjoying presenting

Mairaj joins the Life Members

The Master Anton at work engraving the Sharks trophies – the envy of all other clubs in the JCL (they like the Trophies too)

A full house

Benny picks up a centurion award for his 130

Ichihara CC most runs in a season (2003) – the delay in our expenses refunds is nothing in comparison!

KB explains the history behind the Swimming Cup, from an era many of the 3rd XI remember fondly.

Takady and Timmy (sporting a mystery tash…)

Awards 2025 group photo, closing off the night

U19 Cricket World Cup 2026

Japan’s first ever appearance in the U19 Cricket World Cup was in the 2020 edition, with a number of current Sharks representing Japan at that event. In the 2026 edition, Tim and Nikhil were a part of the squad which saw Japan play group matches against Sri Lanka, Australia and Ireland, with warmups against the West Indies and Tanzania and a runner-up match against Tanzania. The mystery of Tim’s tash from the Award’s night was revealed when he shaved it off after the announcement of the squad…….a lucky tash….should have kept it until after the tournament…..

Japan take a bow with the Mascots

Pre Season Training & New Training Kit

One thing that sets the Sharks apart from other clubs is the dedication we put into training and practice. This year during February and March we held regular nets sessions at Akai-farm and SICG and fielding sessions at Sammu. The Sharks were also lucky enough to secure a new sponsor, Funabashi Orthopedic Clinic who have kindly agreed to sponsor our new training kit from this season. At one of our sessions the Sharks gave a special thanks to Yumi Ishimoto, founder of Akai Farm nets and a big contributor to Japan cricket and the development of a number of the Sharks players over the years, by presenting her with one of our special Champions 2026 T-shirts.

Marcus presents Ishimoto-san with a champions t-shirt

The Sharks at Akai Farm after a nets session

Eric and Muneeb model the new training top

Nuff said

AGM 2026

On February 15th members of the Sharks gathered in Chiba for the annual AGM. The 2025 finances were reviewed and the management plan and other important topics for 2026 discussed. Key outcomes were a necessary increase in membership fees, changes to remuneration for umpiring duty and the appointment of 2 new club officers – Manav as Webmaster and Hamdan as Personnel Officer.

Thailand Quadrangular Series

At the end of February the Japan men’s side travelled to Thailand for a 4-way tournament featuring Japan, Thailand, Bhutan and Bahrain. Ben, Kendel and Ibby were playing, bringing some Sharks style to the tournament in which Japan lost the final in a super over.

Pre-Season Friendlies

Our annual pre-season friendly against the Wombats was held on March 8th, in the bitter icy winds of Sano. When not keeping out the wind by sitting in the weeds, the Sharks did a fantastic job on the field, winning both matches; hopefully a sign of things to come for this years Shearer-Thurgate cup. On March 15th the Sharks also played 2 friendly matches against the Tokyo Dragons, in an event billed as the ‘Tokyo Bay Derby‘  The Sharks won 1 of 2 games and hope to make the derby an annual event.

Dave and Marcus sit out the wind

Ghufi taking shelter

Stump repair job – village cricket at its best (don`t tell Dhugal)

A chilly but victorious Sharks side

Under sunny skies and on the SICG 2 turf wicket the Sharks looked the better side throughout, playing well as a single unit in the field and well supported by their small but vocal followers. Opening batsmen Dhugal and Nikhil both scored half centuries as the Sharks batted through their overs for a total of 216. Sano`s innings started to go against them when some poor decision-making led to 2 runouts, after which the bowlers made hay with the Sano batsmen, with the support of some lightening quick keeping and fielding. Ben was the leading wicket taker with three. The last Sano Batsman was removed in the 36th over, setting off celebrations from the Sharks Camp.

Denied a JCA live-stream, the Sharks did a DIY and broadcast themselves on the Sharks Facebook, and which had more than 1,000 views!

The Sharks Cricket season is now over, and what a season it has been! The end of this month is the annual Awards Ceremony, then the training for 2026 begins…can we win even more next season?

JCL 1 Champions

(Non-Alcoholic) Champagne Shower

2025 JAPAN CRICKET LEAGUE FINAL PREVIEW

Sano CC vs Chiba Sharks – JCL’s Ultimate Showdown

After months of tight finishes, heatwaves, starring performances and tactical masterstrokes, the Japan Cricket League Final is finally here.

Two proud clubs remain standing – Sano Cricket Club, chasing their first title since 2017, and Chiba Sharks Cricket Club, the perennial contenders looking to back up their Japan Cup title, for the coveted double premiership.

The grand stage? None other than SICG2, the slightly less glamorous sibling of Sano’s main ground. Yes, you read that right – SICG1 is busy hosting an event, because nothing screams “national final” quite like being bumped for a community festival and a food truck lineup. Still, true professionals adapt, and although it might not be live-streamed to the legions of overseas-based supporters, the best team will prevail on the final Saturday of the JCL calendar.

Tale of the Tape
Sano CC come into the final after a tight victory against the table-topping Alpha Quashers Yokohama, while the Sharks had a dominant win against recent heavyweights, Tokyo Falcons.

Key Matchups
Both teams possess class in the top order batting, power in the middle, skilful fast bowlers and wily spinners. The outcome of the final will be determined by the team who can take out the key matchups in the fixture.

1. Reo Sakurano & Zubair Khan vs Sharks Top Order
If there’s movement in the air, Reo Sakurano and Zubair Khan will find it. Sano’s new-ball pair have made a habit of turning even the most confident openers into tentative prodders. The Sharks’ top order, however, has shown flashes of brilliance all season, mixing fearless hitting, led by their inspirational leader of men, with a healthy disregard for footwork. If they can survive the first five overs without nicking one to the cordon or being hypnotised by Zubair’s outswing (and death stare following an excessive follow-through), they’ll have weathered the storm.

2. Benjamin Ito-Davis vs Devon Van Onselen
National team star Benjamin Ito has been a dominant force for the Chiba Sharks in 2025, and the standout player in the Japan Cricket League this summer. While he has been making key contributions with bat, ball and in the field for his teams this year, newly appointed JCA staff member and former South African prodigy Devon van Onselen will have one thing in mind – to occupy real estate in Ito’s head.

Ito has been the Sharks’ engine – calm under pressure, clinical between overs, and capable of turning games with the bat or ball. Van Onselen, however, has vowed to deploy full mental warfare to limit Ito’s impact. Whether that means chatter, charm, or creative field placements that defy geometry, one thing’s certain – it’ll be entertaining. Expect constant conversation, a few theatrical pauses, and possibly a stare or two that lasts longer than a mid-over drinks break. Whoever wins this psychological arm wrestle could tilt the match their way.

3. Battle of the U19 Stars
Japan’s rising stars take centre stage as Sano’s Ryuki Ozeki squares off against the Sharks’ youthful duo Tim Moore and Nikhil Pol.

Ozeki, widely regarded as one of the country’s best young fielders, covers ground like he’s auditioning for the Olympic 4×100, but is never seen moving faster than when he is running away from his fans in the JCA’s Tea Room.

Pol, on the other hand, is almost the complete all-round package. What he lacks in athleticism, he more than makes up for with flair and self-belief, both of which should be on full display. A newly found off-field routine has Pol bringing more energy to matches. Moore, by contrast, is the quiet achiever – calm, focused, and rarely saying more than a few words all day. Fortunately, his dad makes up the difference from the stands.

The only thing louder than Moore’s improvement curve might be the running commentary from the boundary rope.

Together, they represent the exciting future of Japanese cricket.

4. Sharks Army vs Local Sano Supporters
Although the Sharks will be missing #1 ticketholder and vocal supporter Ashley Thurgate this year, there will be a number of Sharks making the trek from Chiba. The shiver of sharks will attempt to fill the stands (before being escorted to SICG2), and become increasingly boisterous throughout the day.
The Sano locals, meanwhile, are a quieter but deeply loyal bunch. Expect polite applause from one end, passionate cheers (and maybe a megaphone) from the other, and at least one confused bystander wondering why there’s so much noise coming from SICG2 when the real event is next door on SICG1.

5. Tsuyoshi Takada vs Kazumasa Hiratsuka
This matchup represents the two finals specialists. Simply put, these guys are clutch, standing up in the big moments. Takada, also known as Sex, is an experienced finals player and has been the Man of the Match in a JCL final before. Hiratsuka has ice in his veins and has shown that multiple times in 2025, including hitting a 6 off the final ball of a Futures League match to drag his team home (also on SICG2).

6. Alex Shirai-Patmore vs Marcus Thurgate
It’s a showdown between Japan’s two national team wicketkeepers and perhaps the most entertaining duel within the duel. One brings the subtle, intelligent chat, the quiet assassin behind the stumps, while the other prefers the loud variety, full of energy, volume, and enthusiasm that could register on a seismograph.

Once fierce rivals, the pair are now firm friends who can often be found hanging out together in the depths of Shinjuku 2-chome – a special space that celebrates diversity and freedom.

7. Dhugal Bedingfield vs Makoto Taniyama
It doesn’t get more heavyweight than this: Dhugal Bedingfield, the long-term national team coach and strategist-in-chief, facing off against Makoto Taniyama, Japan’s longest-serving current national player and the greatest Japanese bowler of all time.

Regular allies in the national cause, now adversaries for club glory. The respect runs deep, but you can feel the tension in every over.

Inspirational Sharks skipper Bedingfield will plot, Taniyama will counter, and somewhere between them lies two decades of shared experience and competitive pride. Make no mistake, this isn’t just another matchup; it’s personal. Expect polite smiles, intense stares, and the sort of silent rivalry that could power half of Sano’s electricity grid.

If Bedingfield can survive the Sano pace threats early, Taniyama will hold the key to dislodging the Sharks skipper and prolific runscorer.

This is a truly exciting matchup which will feature some of the best players in Japan. May the best team win!

On 4th October the Glorious 3rd had their last league game of the season at Sammu. On paper they could progress to the semi-finals with a big win and some other matches going their way, but such an outcome was unlikely. The team were hopeful all the same – finishing on a win would be nice. They were up against MIB and started off by winning the toss, choosing to bowl first because of the conditions. Bowlers and batters started off cautiously, with a sole 6 the only action of the first 7 overs, however the game opened up with 2 wickets from Vik in the 8th over. The Sharks played a spin heavy innings, with 19 of the 35 overs bowled by spinners, and at no point did the MIB batters look like breaking out and scoring big. Wickets were well spread amongst the bowlers, with each taking at least one wicket. MIB were all dismissed on the 34th over for 154, the only black mark on the Sharks being 52 extras. The Sharks went into their innings confident they could chase the target, but a wicket at the end of the first over was a bad sign. A further wicket in the second over saw the Sharks on 2/2 and looking in trouble. Anthony M. hit a lovely 4 in the 3rd over, and another in the 4th, and was starting to look comfortable when he was caught out in the sixth. Vik and Shige were then removed for ducks in the 6th and 7th overs. Will and Matt made a token stand until Matt was removed in the 11th over on 17 (the high score of the match). Will lasted until the 16th when he was bowled following a shocker of a leave, much to the amusement of the other players (opponents and Sharks) and the Umpires. Following a short pause for the laughter to subside the 3rds were all bowled out in the same over on 58; a nightmare end to the season but at least we went out with a laugh.

The 2nds were playing their final match against AQCC on the 5th, and although a semi-final place was out of the question, honour was the objective after a mixed season. Having lost the toss the Sharks were asked to bat first. Umar and Sud started the innings and played cautiously but solidly getting 30 runs after 10 overs, sometimes sensible play is what is required (If only the 3rds had played like this!) and today would be one of those days. The first batsman didn’t fall until the 16th over and by the end of the innings only 6 batsmen had been removed, but the total of 229 was good. Rahul got a half century (54), and in doing so claimed the most runs in Div 2, overtaking Timmy. Hammad scored a 40 (not out), and Sud and Ayush both got more than 20. Old man Extra also played well getting 48 for the 2nds. AQCC never really got of the mark in their innings, with wickets in the 3rd and 4th overs and a terrible 2 off the bat by the end of the 7th over. Low scoring was to be the undoing of AQCC, by the end of the 40th over they had only lost 6 wickets, but had also only managed to score 106 runs. The Sharks cruised to a 123 run victory, on the way Hammad and Nushi bowled 4 maiden overs each. Hammad received MoM for his 40 not out and 1/10 off 8 overs.

On October 11th The 1st XI played the Falcons in the Semi Final for JCL1. Ben and Dhugal were absent, both on tour in Oman with Japan, so Takady was taking the captain’s role. The Sharks batted first with Marcus and Nikhil opening, th Timmy and Takady coming in at 3 and 4. Whilst the Sharks were batting the rain came and the match was abandoned in the 22nd over, with the Sharks on 212 and both Takady and Timmy playing well. The rescheduled match will not take place in November, with the Sharks bolstered by Dhugal and Ben (and the Falcons by Abishek). 

October 18th and 19th was the Japan Cup Finals weekend, in which the Sharks triumphed. You can read all about it here: https://chibasharks.com/news/japan-cup-finals-champions-2025/

Rui giving Eric catches

Nikhil leaves the field after getting a 50

The last weekend of October was taken by the Embassy Cup, where Embassy sides from 7 nations plus a Japan team compete across 2 divisions. The Embassy teams are primarily drawn from nationals of those Embassies residing and playing cricket in Japan. Being one of the most diverse cricket teams in Japan meant the Sharks had representation in many teams; in fact Sharkies were everywhere with players in the sides for Japan (Ben & Nikhil), India (Manav & Rithvik), Pakistan (Hammad, Muneeb & Ghufi), the Anzac’s (Dhugal, Anthony Morcom & Taiga) and the UK (Tim, Sam, Matt, Anthony Hague, Sud, Eric & Will). Pakistan was also coached by Nick. This is evidence we are fulfilling our mission of supporting the development of cricket in Japan and also that we have built a truly inclusive and open club. Although the competition was shortened by rain, Sharkies performed well with three in the top ten batters (Tim, Dhugal and Buvith), Ghufi in the top ten bowlers, Taiga in the top ten fielders, and Tim top of the player rankings. Nicks coaching paid dividends for Pakistan who won Division 1. Unfortunately we cannot give credit to the rumour that from next year the Embassy Cup will be renamed the Sharks International Cup….

The final was the conclusion of the 2 day finals tournament that saw the top 10 teams from all over Japan battling for the championship over the weekend of October 18th & 19th. 

The Sharks had narrowly won their round 1 match against the Nagoya Bengal Tigers, before a dominant quarter finals performance saw them besting the Osaka Lions by 85 runs at the conclusion of the tournament’s 1st day.

The 1st match on Sunday was a semi final against the Falcons (who had beaten us in the final for East Kanto Division 1). The Sharks were looking for revenge, and revenge was what they got, putting up a total of 196/6 and winning the match by 39 runs. After the match some of the players attributed the win to the mutton curry served at the team dinner the night before; a statement that cannot be proven, however the curry was associated with a number of emergency trips to the toilet on the morning of the match….

After lunch (at which no mutton curry was eaten), a confident Sharks faced off against the Kobe Hawks, who had beaten the Nagoya Bengal Tigers in their semi final match. The Sharks opted to bat first, having won the toss, but their confidence quickly took a knock as wickets started to fall, and by the end of the 9th over things were looking dire with the score on 63/6. Captain Abhi, Muneeb and Manav fought back and added some vital runs which took the Sharks to 133/9 by the end of the innings. What followed next was a nail-biting back and forward between the Sharks bowlers, Hawks batters and Sharks fielders. The first ball almost saw the Hawks opening batsman dismissed, but for a fumbled catch, however few other chances came and by the half way point only one wicket had been taken. The Hawks batsmen were playing a patient game, with the threat of a breakout ever present, and by the 17th over the score was 104/3. Three overs to go and 30 runs needed…The 18th over went firmly the Sharks way with Tim taking 2 wickets for only 1 run after successfully bowling 6 yorkers in a row, however the Hawks fought back hard in the 19th and took 14 runs. At the start of the last over the Hawks needed 15 runs from 6 balls. The pressure was immense as Muneeb stated to bowl – a pressure that only increased as his first ball went for 2 byes and the next 2 went for singles. 11 runs needed from 3 balls. The 4th ball was hit for a 6 – 5 runs needed from 2 balls. Muneeb tried to bowl a wide yorker and pitched it too wide – 4 runs needed from 2 balls. Same plan again, same result…3 runs needed from 2 balls. Everyone watching, including the scorers, were on their feet. Muneeb changed tactics – next ball wicket! 2 runs needed from 1 ball. Last ball, pitched too full, hit long and high and…….coming down into the hands of captain Ahbi! The Sharks had won it!

Tim was awarded man of the match for his last 2 overs that took 3 wickets for 4 runs, though there were several Sharkies that would also have been deserving of the award. A great team performance. You can watch the match on YouTube.

The winning side

After the award ceremony the Sharks celebrated in style at the Siddique Palace at Tokyo Tower. 

Mutton Curry anyone?

President Marcus celebrating in style after a long weekend.

The first half of September was devoid of scheduled games for the Sharks, and it wasn’t until the 20th when we had our first game, with the 1st XI taking on the Titans in JCL Div 1. This was the first time the 1st XI had played since June because of cancellations but the lack of practice didn`t show, with the Sharks vanquishing the Titans by 185 runs. Ben had eaten his Weetabix that morning and hit a massive 130 from 94 balls, to become the best-of-the-batters as the Sharks knocked up a total of 291. The Sharks bowler’s were also on form taking out the Titans before the end of the 28th over; Freddy taking 4 wickets and Ben adding 2 and a catch to his run hall and securing him a deserved MoM. Weekabix all round next time?

For those of you not understanding the Weetabix reference, educate yourself on a piece of British advertising history below:

• Weetabix and Robbin Hood： weetabix ad

• Weetabix and the Battle of Naseby:  UK Weetabix Advert – Battle of Naseby (1994)

• Weetabix driving instructor: Weetabix – Driving Instructor (1997, UK)

Much of the 1st XI was then in action again on the 21st as part of the Japan Cup squad taking on MIB at Sammu in the Semi Final match of EK Div 2. In another Sammu-style low scoring game MIB survived the Sharks bowler`s for the full 20 overs but only managed to eek out a total of 87, Manav being the Sharks bowler of the day taking 3 for 10 runs, a performance which also secured him MoM. The chase was then dominated by the Sharks who ended it all in 11 overs, each batsman achieving a run-rate over 130 and Ben and Takady, batting at 3 and 4 both not out.

Ben and Takady at Sammu

As the JC side were dominating in their semi final the Glorious 3rd were taking on KKR at Sano Riverside 3 in a must win match to get into the top 4 of the JCL Div 4 table. Despite arriving early and warming up, the Sharks suffered an early disaster with their top 5 batsmen being removed for only 8 runs. The remaining 6 batsmen managed to add a further 56 runs which with extras took the Sharks to a total of 97 before they were all removed in the 23rd over. With a low total to defend the Sharks bowlers did a good job, and at one point it looked like the game would turn in their favour, but KKR`s number 5 dug in a hit the required runs, KKR overturning the Sharks in the 21st over. There is one final JCL 4 match in October, where mathematically it may be possible for the 3rds to reach the top 4, but this loss has effectively ended their chances of a finals place. 

The Final for the JC EK Div 1 was on September 27th, with the Sharks taking on the Falcons at Sammu. The Falcons batted first and after a slow start began piling on the runs as the Sharks bowlers struggled to take wickets; by the end of their innings they had an impressive (for Sammu) 156 for 6. When the turn of the Sharks batters came they went at it with each batsman doing their part and all getting a good run-rate and scoring runs, however the Falcon’s score was just too high to chase down and the Sharks fell 8 runs short by the finish. A disappointment after such a dominant season, however there is a silver lining to this loss – the Sharks have qualified for a playoff spot in the Japan Cup National Finals (the Falcons secured their place with this win)….the fat lady has longer to wait.

Some of our older members look after the trophies

Smarting after the JC final loss, the 1st XI took on Max on the 28th for the final Sharks match of September. Max batted first, but today the Sharks bowlers were on form and taking wickets (apart from one painful over where an unfortunate bowler was hit for 31, but the less said about that over the better….), with Nikhil and Ben taking 3 each on the way to removing Max in the 36th over for 211 runs. Ben had again been eating his Weetabix and hit 82 from 45 in the chase, and again the Sharks batting depth was demonstrated as they passed Max in the 30th over, all 9 of the players to have batted scoring runs and definitely some still in the tank if needed. Ben’s performance again securing him MoM.

The end of September has almost fixed the table positions for the senior leagues, with the playoff and semi finals coming soon. The Shark’s league positions at the end of September were: JC1 – second position, JCL2 – eighth position, JCL 4 – eighth position, Japan Cup (East Kanto, Division 1) – first position. 

A number of Sharks will be taking part in the Embassy Cup at the end of October, representing their respective embassies. So far we know of Sharks that will be playing for Japan, Pakistan, the Anzacs and the British Embassy creating some great sub-contexts and contests within the broader competition. Nothing like a bit of Shark on Shark action to keep things exciting!

After whipping the Titans in the JCL T20 in July, the team was well up for the August 2nd match against the Wombats, a shadow of their earlier selves and a guaranteed win for us. Much to the annoyance of the team the match was the first of the month’s cancelled matches, with the mercury exceeding 39 degrees. The Wombats avoided a thrashing, and the Shark`s T20 hopes were handed a blow with the loss of a potential 2 points.

The temperature at SIGC on the 2nd

August the 9th was the Libra Japan sponsors day, held at the Japan Cup match against the Rising Stars at Sammu. Libra Japan boss, Shark`s regular and all round nice guy Mairaj was also a member of the Sharks squad for this match. Being top of the table with a clean record the Sharks were not under pressure to win, and this lack of pressure could be one of the factors that lead to what happened next. Waiting in the sponsors area your author was a witness to the chaos a batting collapse can cause when the number 4 batsman had to rush to pad up and enter the field in the 3rd over with the score at 3 for 3. The cause of this collapse was the bowler Khan, who was shaping the new ball. After the nightmare start the Sharks were all hoping for a fight back, but although Abhi and Tim slowed down the game and dug in for a period they never regained the momentum. The Sharks did manage to play their 20 overs, but struggled to score runs and made only 108/9. Only one 6 was scored in the whole innings (Tim) and 6 players scored 0 or 1. As a small consolation at least one Sharks batsmen had their score helped considerably by the umpires failure to signal a single leg bye (to the umpires credit at least they did not give LBW, the scourge of the lower leagues). Defending 108 would always be a challenge, but today lady luck was not with the Sharks and wickets just would not come. Khan, who has been so devastating to our batsmen, patiently held one end for 10 overs whilst his batting partners dispensed punishment. Kabir at number 3 caused the most damage, hitting 44 from 33 balls (not out). The Stars overturned the Sharks in the 16th over with 7 wickets remaining. Post match talks focused on not playing like that again and learning from the defeat – imperative as the next match is the Semi Final.

The next Sharks JCL T20 match was scheduled for August 16th, with the Sharks facing KKR at SICG. Despite the fear of cancellation in the week leading up to the game (the forecast was for 34 degrees) the game proceeded and gameday saw the return on Ben from Singapore (where he had been touring with Japan), Jamie on his annual holiday from the UK and a late fill in from your author as Feddie had to pull out at the last minute. The Sharks lost the toss and fielded first. Bowling and fielding was good with 5 Sharks bowlers bowling 4 overs each and holding KKR to 131/8. Pick of the bowlers were Hammad (4/19) and Timmy (3/29), Bhuvith took the most catches (2) and Takady took possibly the highest catch of the season so far – the ball coming from directly in the sun after a few second wait for the descent. By the end of the innings the Sharks were cooked and dehydrated, but still confident the win was theirs. President Marcus opened with Ghufi and from the first ball both went on the attack. By the end of the 2nd over the score was 19 and the Sharks camp was starting to relax and enjoy the show. Unfortunately `danger comes the moment you relax` and Marcus was caught out in the 3rd over. Replacement Ben was then caught LBW in the forth over and Ghufi caught out in the 5th and all of a sudden things didn’t look so good. Timmy came on in the 6th over and started off solidly but as the game wore on he visibly wilted in the heat and struggled to score before he was removed in the 18th over on 32. Abhi and Muneeb had tried to get the run rate up, but were removed before they could impact the game. Jamie succeeded in rotating the strike often but couldn`t find a boundary. The Sharks kept fighting to the end but the required run rate crept ever higher until in the final over the Sharks needed 25 to win. In the end the Sharks lost by 21 runs and with this loss their hopes of a JCL T20 quarter finals place were also taken from them. You can watch the full game on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wXwkySKZfU

August 23rd was a much anticipated `double header` for the Sharks with the 1st XI and 2nd XI due to play on adjacent grounds at SIGC against AQCC and the Tigers respectively. Unfortunately there was another extreme heat warning and all games in Sano were cancelled. The 1st XI have not played a game since June and the prolonged break is creating the risk of a performance drop later in the season. A practice game was scheduled on August 30th to give the 1st and 2nd XI`s some needed game time, but extreme heat again cancelled all cricket in Sano on the weekend of 30/31 August….August was not a month to remember. Bring on September, bring on the cooler weather (bring on the Wombats?!?).

At the end of the month the Sharks were top of the table in the Japan Cup EK Div 1, 3rd in JCL Div 1, 7th in JCL Div 2, 3rd in JCL Div 4 and 5th (final position) in the JCL T20 Group B.

Following a prolonged period of negotiation, waiting and customs issues the Sharks were finally ready to don their new uniform, including hats that had the strong and distinct smell of fish sauce, on July 5th at the 1st JCL T20 match of the season against the Tigers. The weather was hot and humid at SICG, but the teams were fortunate that the day was overcast which kept the temperature just the right side of bearable for what would be a hard fought match. The Tigers opened the batting and were looking in trouble at the end of the 4th over with only 19 runs and three players removed, including Sabaorish removed for a duck by a peach bowled by Kento and sent straight into the gloves of keeper Marcus. The Sharks were hoping the removal of ‘The Sabao’ would be a winning move…at this level though, nothing is easy and the Tigers fought back against the attack from our bowlers reaching the end of their innings with a score of 143/8. The Sharks innings started well and at the end of the 4th over they were in a better place than the Tigers at the same point, being on 27/2. Batsmen 3 (Rithvik, 18 off 13) and 4 (Takady, 24 off 26) put on a good show, but a wobble in the middle order saw some cheap wickets and accusations of questionable decisions. Batsmen 9 (Timmy, 29 off 23) and 10 (Kento, 8 off 13) restored some calm and brought the game within reach but the Tigers bowlers managed to stop the rotation of the strike in the last 2 overs and smother the game, winning the game for the Tigers by 17 runs.

Sunday 6th July saw a Sharks double header at the riverside grounds, with the 2nd XI playing KKR on ground 1A and the 3rd XI playing AQCC on ground 1C. This day did not have the benefit of the clouds from the day before, and by the end of the day both teams were cooked, suffering and with a few cases of heatstroke following a day in 35 degree heat. All games in Sano had reduced overs that day, with the 3rds playing 30 overs and the 2nds 35.

The 3rd XI were fortunate enough to win the toss yet again, and so took the strategic option of batting first to let AQCC cook in the field. In the heat the batting was slow, with the added challenge that the 20cm high grass made anything but the hardest hit shots non-scoring. The side held out until the 29th over, but the heat, pressure of having to slog to score, and quality of the AQCC bowling was too much in the end, the side reaching 112/10 (including 51 extras, proving that just holding your wicket and letting the extras come is a viable strategy). The 3rds strength is its bowling lineup and after some icewater and shade they got to work, starting with a maiden over from Vik. From then on, barring the horror of 9 wides, a no-ball and 8 off the bat in a single over, the 8 Sharks bowlers acquitted themselves well and kept the scoring tight whilst removing the opposition. Shige was the leading wicket taker with 3 for 8 runs whilst Hamdan was the cheapest bowler taking 2 for and amazing  0 runs. In the end the 3rds took out AQCC before they had completed their chase, winning by 16 runs.

The Victorious 3rds – First Sharks win in the new Uniform

After a quick pack-up many of the 3rds then headed over to riverground 1A where the 2nd XI were battling with KKR. When the 3rds arrived Tim and Muneeb were busy batting whilst a heat exhausted squad sat in the shade, having lost the toss and been forced to bowl first. The squad told of a tough innings in the field, with KKR batters fiendishly hard to remove and the heat draining all their energy. Of the 7 bowlers 4 took wickets, with Mahesh taking 3, Muneeb and Rithvik taking 2 each and Umar taking one. KKR battled through to the end of their innings finishing on 195/8. Rithvik and Sud had opened the Sharks batting, and by the end of the 8th over they had got the score to 59, mainly through Rithvik who had hit 6 boundaries by that point. Rithvik batted on until the 16th over, when he was runout on 51. Tim and Muneeb gave a strong mid order fight putting together a partnership of 49 before they were both bowled in the 28th and 29th overs respectively: at this point the Sharks had 159 runs and needed 45 to win. After Atiq was removed on 8 (score 161) Nick came to the Creece and made a heroic stand whilst other Sharks fell around him, hitting 22 off 19 balls. The finish was a nail-biter going down to the last ball, with the Sharks needing 3 runs. Captain Rui hit a good ball, but it was fielded and the team could only manage 2. The Sharks lost by 1 run. Back in the Sharks camp, as players recovered with icewater and Mahesh`s biriyani, the team had mixed feelings – down after loosing, glad to have put up such a strong fight and had such fun, and vowing never to play cricket in this heat again.

The 2nds, after a hard fought loss

The next Saturday, July 12th, saw the JCL T20 team vs the Titans on SIGC1. Despite apprehension about the heat in the week before, the teams were in luck and it was a pedestrian 26 degrees, with some cloud and even a little light rain. Dhugal was captaining the squad, with regular captain Abhi on leave; Dhugal playing his first match since becoming a father. After winning the toss and deciding to bat, the instruction from Dhugal was clear – score off every ball. Openers Dhugal and Ghufy came out the blocks meaning business running at more than 10 runs an over. When Dhugal was removed in the 8th over he was on 48 runs having faced only 23 balls. Ghufy stayed in whilst Ben, Nikhil and Tim were removed around him, cruising past 50 in the 13th over and finally being bowled in the 17th on a mammoth 87 from 54 balls. In the end all the batters contributed something, with no ducks, the Sharks reaching a respectable 183 after 20 overs. The Sharks had been expecting an aggressive response from the Titan’s batters, but an aggressive bowling and fielding attack decimated their lineup from the first over. In the end they were all removed by the 12th over on a total of only 61. As the shell-shocked Titan’s left the field, the Sharks could congratulate themselves on an excellent performance in the field – 3 wickets for Manav, 2 for Bhuvith, 1 each for Ben, Kento, Tim  and Muneeb plus 2 catches each for Ben, Takady and Tim. Many of the Sharks then headed to the nets for a practice session which was to last until SICG shut at 6.

On Sunday the Sharks were in action again, this time in a Japan Cup encounter against the Falcons at Sammu. A number of players from the day before were in attendance, hoping to keep the sides perfect record intact. Also at Sammu were the staff from the Shark’s sponsors Auto Craft, being treated to their annual sponsors day. Unlike the day before there was little cloud and the temperature was back up to 32 degrees. Both sides were hoping to bat first to get the advantage of wearing their opponent out in the field, unfortunately the toss went to the Falcons. Fortunately the Sharks fielding and bowling was as good as yesterday and the Falcons fell like flies, surviving only to the 18th over and managing only 85. Muneeb took 3 wickets and a catch, Ben 2 wickets and a catch, Rithvik and Manav 2 wickets each and Nikhil 1 wicket. Rahul and Abhi took impressive catches that got some cheers from the watching crowd. The batting was clinical when it came, Nikil (24 off 23), Ben (26 off 18) and Ghufy (23 off 16) doing most of the work. Takady was not out on 5 when the game ended, Ghufy also not out, with the Sharks on 86/2.

Guests from Auto Craft

Following their 1 wicket loss earlier in the month the 2nds were looking for a win again on the 19th, against the Rising Stars on riverground 1A. The match was again shortened because of heat, although this week it was only 32 degrees (balmy!). This time the toss went with the Sharks and the 2nds got to bat first. Despite the shortened overs the side didn’t quite make the end of their innings, being dismissed for 149 in the 34th over. Mahesh was top scoring batsman with 49, whilst club president Marcus, batting at 2 contributed a respectable 23. The Rising Stars chase was touch with wickets falling aplenty, including 3 ducks, unfortunately the bowlers could not dislodge batsman Irfan who got to his 50 with a 2 that took the Stars past the Sharks total at the end of the 29th over, the Sharks having needed only one more wicket to seal the match. The Sharks bowling attack was notable for having Marucs (usually a wicket keeper), who took 2 wickets. Whether his decision to bowl was a result of bowling in the SIGC nets the week before was not known, but whatever the reason it was a good choice.

Much to the disappointment of the teams the planned July 26th Div 1 encounter between the Sharks and Tigers was cancelled because of excessive heat (39 degrees) in the Sano area; that weekend all matches were cancelled in Sano for both days of the weekend. The lack of games on Sunday 27th was not an issue for the Sharks, however, as they met in Kasai Kaihin park for a BBQ with their family and friends. By all accounts the event was a great success, with softball cricket, good food, beers cooled with the Sharks stubbies and much paddling and fun. A great way to celebrate the end of July, the start of summer proper and some good wins for the Sharks.

Hold on to that tent!

At the end of the month the Sharks were top of the table in the Japan Cup EK Div 1, 2nd in JCL Div 1, 7th in JCL Div 2, 3rd in JCL Div 3 and 4th in the JCL T20 Group B.