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

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 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.

Our Japan Cup side was the first to play in June taking on the Chiba Hawks at the Sammu ground. Batting first the Sharks were all dismissed for 96 after 19 overs; the wicket being especially low scoring that day and yielding only 3 boundaries for the Sharks. When it came time to field the team were confident they could defend the total. Ibby bowled the first over and showed the Hawks they had a tough fight on their hands, taking 2 wickets in the over, with one from a run out, for only 2 runs. From then on, but for a brief stand by the 5th and 6th batsmen, it all went the Sharks way with wickets falling regularly. The Hawks finally succumbed in the 15th over, all out for 63. Nikhil, Ibby and Freddy each took 2 wickets, with Ibby also getting three runouts and taking Player of the Match. The win made 3 from 3 for the Japan Cup squad so far this season.

On June 7th the glorious 3rd XI took on a strong Tigers 4th XI in the JCL Div 4. The weather was classic English cricket weather – grey clouds, moderate temperature and a hint of rain. Making things particularly challenging the 3rd were only fielding 9 players plus a fielding sub. Batting first the Tigers comfortably batted out their 35 overs only losing 5 wickets and setting a target of 250. Captain Kris was the only bowler to take a wicket, getting three in his 7 overs, the other bowlers failing to breach the Tigers defences. The Sharks batting started well, with Ali (40 from 54) and Aditya (47 from 50) making a stand and taking the game to the Tigers, but the rest of the batsmen were dismissed for only 18 runs off the bat – the English weather perhaps contributing to the England style collapse. The Tigers bowlers were kind enough to give us 48 extras, helping the Sharks reach 153 all out, but the Tigers ultimately won by 97 runs. The final score wasn’t representative of the differences between the squads abilities, the Sharks being much closer than the score alone suggests. The game had a feel of what if – what if we had a full squad, what if our bowlers had been a bit more lucky, what if our batting lineup hadn’t collapsed…the squad left determined not to let that happen again.

Fuji and a double header with the 1st and 2nd XI`s playing on adjacent grounds was a treat for Saturday June 14th. The 1st XI were playing the Tokyo Falcons and the 2nd XI the Tokyo Wombats, the Shearer Thurgate Cup being contested by the 2nd XI as the Wombats were relegated from Div 1 at the end of last season. On paper the odds were against the 1st’s and for the 2nd`s, but as so often in cricket, the odds meant nothing on the day. The day was filled with light rain that was always threatening more, but it was still enough to add a challenge for all players. In the Div 1 game the Sharks batted first, Nikhil (an U19 Falcons player!) getting 50/44, Ghufi 38/29 and Muneeb 32/49, helping take the side to 182 all out after 33 overs. On the adjacent ground the 2nd’s bowlers were systematically picking off the Wombats batsmen, finally cleaning them out in the 29th over for 129 runs, Hammad taking 3 and Vik and Shige also taking 2 a piece. Surely the Shearer Thurgate Cup was coming home? Not wanting to be shown up by the 2nds, the 1st XI bowlers undertook a similarly systematic takedown of the Falcons bower’s after the break in innings, with Freddy taking 4 and Manav getting a five wicket haul and taking player of the match. The 1st XI didn’t quite get the Falcons out in the 29th over, though, needing 4 more balls than the 2nds; they did however get the Falcons out for 147, winning the match by 35 runs. Whilst the 1st XI were dominating the Falcons, the 2nds were ‘doing a 3rd’ against the Wombats, collapsing without much of a fight from what should have been a winnable chase. Sud provided solidity by batting through the innings, getting 29 from 66 balls, however the rest of the squad fell cheaply around him, with four ducks and no other player getting more than 9 runs, adding a painful loss to the 2nd’s 2025 record and giving the Wombats back the Shearer Thurgate Cup. After the game both the Sharks sides and the Wombats headed off for a BBQ, hastily moved to under a nearby bridge to get out of the rain. At the BBQ Ash put on his salesman hat and cracked out the newly arrived Sharks Stubbies to great success; the Wombats players looking on with wanton stares but none brave enough to purchase!

Sharks Stubby any one?

With 2 wins so far in June, the 1st XI were confident going into their match against Wyverns on June 21st, especially after taking down the Falcons the week before. Pride comes before a fall, however and the Wyverns Kubota and Kimura handed the 1st’s a tough-to-stomach loss. Batting first the Sharks never really settled with the Wyverns bowlers not giving any chances. Kubota took a fifer off his 8 overs and fellow bowler Tomizawa bowled 8 overs at an economy of 2.25, including 3 maidens. The Sharks eked out a total of 121 from 31 overs, Muneeb being the standout batsman with 38 from 65 balls. The Sharks bowlers started well, with Gufi taking 2 wickets in the second over and Freddy one in the 3rd, however1 end was tightly held by Kimura, who was ready to put any lose ball over the boundary. The Sharks tried and failed to remove Kimura, rightly seeing him as the main threat, he even had a bail removed however in a moment of controversy it was judged the the bail was knocked off by the wicket keeper and not the ball. The Sharks bowlers kept fighting but Wyverns finally chased them down in the 29th over, winning with a boundary from Kimura. Ghufi was the leading wicket taker for the Sharks (2/28) whilst Freddy and Tim took one a piece, Tim getting an economy of 1.83 and bowling 3 maidens in his 6 overs.

The following day the glorious 3rd’s were playing the Tokyo Star Kings on Sano riverside 1C, the switch away from 1B making a nice change as it gave a chance to avoid the rabbit holes and weeds. The weather was hot (around 35 degrees) and humid, so the Sharks sensibly chose to bat when they won the toss. It was to be another low scoring batting performance from the 3rds, this time not helped by the weather. Only one player scored more than 10 runs, Yasir putting away a splendid 29. The Sharks made it to the 24th over before the last batsman falled, but by this time the Star Kings players were visibly suffering with the heat…would the use of the heat be enough to help the 3rds win? The Sharks started with spin, bowing it non-stop until the 14th over by which time they had already removed 6 wickets for 38 runs and with Vik taking three wickets by the third over. The Sharks had smelt blood early and relentlessly attacked the Star Kings batsmen and by the 20th over the last fell for a total of only 50 runs. Vik (4/14) and Attiq (3/11) were the star bowlers, helped by Sud being lightening quick on the stumps. A great win for the 3rd’s.

The last game of June was the Japan Cup match against Tsukuba at Sammu. This match was also the first of this year’s `Sponsor’s Days`, this being for our main sponsor Interakt. The Sharks had prepared a tent and refreshments for Interakt, who brought a party of 10 staff and family to watch and soak up the atmosphere in the Sharks Camp. Before the game club president Marcus made a speech, handed out gifts and introduced the players to our guests. Aditya, long time Shark and head of Interakt was also a part of the playing 11 today, his first game since scoring a 47th for the 3rd’s earlier in the month. Things started well with the Sharks winning the toss and again being able to choose to bat and tire the opposition in the heat. The batting got off to a good start and by the half way point the Sharks were on 60/3. A brief wobble in the 13th and 14th overs saw three batsmen quickly removed and the score fall to 79/6, however the Tsukuba bowlers were not quite good enough to defeat the Sharks and they batted out their 20 overs ending on 118/8. Rahul (37/42) was the highest scoring batsman, with opener Nikhil also contributing 20 off 18 balls. The Sharks bowling and fielding was a master class of team work and bowling to the field, with the successive bowlers setting up the batsmen and engineering catches in the deep. Ghufi took 4 wickets and Muneeb and Nikhil 2 each, but as they say `catches win matches` and this match the Sharks took 8 in total, including Nikhil taking 4! The Sharks won in the 17th over, removing Tsukuba for 91. A great win for our sponsors and 4 from 4 for the Japan Cup squad so far this season.

Pre-match Team Talk

The first of the matches to have to switch pitch, and the first match of May, was the JCL Div 2 match against Sano on May 10th. The crease at riverside ground 3 was covered by an inch of water, so the match was switched to 1B, which was wet but not submerged, and reduced to 30 overs to allow a late start. The Shark’s won the toss and batted first, but the slippery conditions made scoring hard. Umar batting at 6 made the best score with 32 from 43 balls. The team batted out their overs however, and reached a total of 116/8. Sano`s innings also started slowly with the Shark’s looking in control by the end of the 8th over, with Sano on 13/3, however the ground started to dry making scoring easier and a solid performance by Sano batter Kohei Wakita turned the game. The Sharks bowlers continued to dismiss batsmen, but in the end Sano dug in and fought to the end, finally chasing down the Sharks in the 27th over with 2 wickets remaining. Ash (1/14 off 6 overs), Vik (2/18 off 5.3 overs) and Tim (2/19 off 5 overs) were pick of the Sharks bowlers and Sud was hot in the gloves taking 3 stumpings.

The weather the next day, Sunday May 11th could not have been more different for the 3rd XI JCL Div 4 match against the Tokyo Titans. The day started dry and cloudy and ended up sunny. Joining the team for the first time were Aman (who joined as 12th man a few weeks previously), plus father and son Matt and Sam; Sam is also the Sharks youngest player – 13 years old at the time of writing. The Shark’s won the toss and chose to bowl, making good steady work against the Titans and holding them to a total of 166/10. Kris (3/30 off 6), Dave (2/28 off 7) and Matt (2/22 off 4) were the notable bowlers. The Sharks batting started well with Anthony M. and Ali forming a 50 run partnership and taking the Sharks to 55/1 at the end of the 13th over. After Anthony M. was removed for 26 Matt came to bat and put up an impressive 48 off 27 balls before being run out; but the damage had been done and the Sharks were on 118/4 with 13 overs remaining. Dave added 25 (not out) and Sam 13 to give the Sharks a win on 170/5 – the final shot being a sublime 6 by Dave. Player of the Match was given to Matt.

A win for the thirds

The following Sunday, May 18th, saw a rare match in Sano for the Japan Cup East Kanto teams with the Sharks playing the Tuskers in Division 1. The previous day had been rain and the match was supposed to be played on riverside 3, however it was again submerged. This time the Sharks were able to play on riverside 1C instead. The pre-match huddle focused on analysing the conditions and posting anything above 120. The Tuskers won the toss and decided to bowl, a choice they must have thought was good after some early wickets and the Sharks down to 47/5 at the end of the 9th over. The Shark’s are never out, however – especially this year’s Japan Cup team – and Muneeb and Rithvik then dug in and fought back. Muneeb hitting 40 off 37 balls and Rithvik 35 off 24. Unluckily Muneeb was bowled in the 20th over however the Sharks made 136/8 and had a defendable total. The Sharks bowling attack started well with the Tuskers opener being removed in the second over, however the next 6 overs were a battle between the sides with no wickets being taken, and the batters starting to use the pacers speed against them. At the end of the 9th the Tuskers were on 66/1 and the Sharks had switched to spin so the batters didn’t have pace to work with. The next few overs were to prove decisive; Ben came in and took 4 wickets for 8 runs with Ash bowling some tight overs between and suddenly the Sharks were on top. Manav, Ibrahim, Muneeb and Tim all bowled well from the 15th over taking 3 wickets and conceding just 28 runs to take the Sharks over the line for a win by 20 runs; the Japan Cup side’s 2nd win in a row. Ben was player of the match for his very economical, and crucial, 4 wickets.

Spot of water on the pitch?

Saturday 24th the 2nd XI were playing again, looking to come back from their defeat in early May by beating the Falcons in the JCL 2 match at Sano 1A. Batting first the Sharks put up a respectable 239/7 with opener and Captain Ash hitting 50 and youngster Tim getting a maiden Div 2 century on his way to posting 112 off 104 – the third century for a Div 2 player this season! The show is not over until the fat lady sings, however, and today the fat lady made an appearance in the name of K. Bisht, the immovable big swinger (ooh err missus!) from the Falcons how hammered his way to 155 off 88 balls, taking away the Sharks hopes of a win and leaving the ego’s of more than one of the bowlers seriously bruised. It could have been very different if one of the dropped catches had stuck, but cricket is cricket and these things happen. In the end the Falcons chased down the Sharks in the 32nd over. The Sharks did get a last word in, however, with Taiga stumping Bisht on the second to last delivery, off a great ball by Ash. Sharks Lifer and Umpiring supremo Chris summarised “We got Bisht bashed”.

First JCL2 Century

Could the 3rd, playing Keio University in JCL Div 4 the next day do any better? After some light early morning rain the weather cleared to perfect weather for cricket – warm, slightly overcast and no wind. The warmup was led by Dave, who was also selling the fantastic new Sharks stickers durning the breaks, part of our new merch strategy. After winning the toss Dave and Anthony M. opened and got the team off to a solid start. The Sharks batted out all 35 overs, with a steady flow of runs and wickets taking the side to 194/8. On the way to their total 2 players posted more than 30 (Dave and Vik) and tail enders Mairaj and Will had a little fun adding 24 runs off the last 9 balls. The Sharks started their bowling with spin, a strategy that worked well with only 29 runs being scored off the first 7 overs. The match remained balanced on par score until the 30th over when Y. Kawamura came on and used a baseball technique to hit 26 off 11 balls, effectively wrapping up the game. Keio chased down their target on the last ball of the 24th over, to beat the Shark by 4 wickets. Despite the loss the thirds showed how much they have improved since last year – the game could easily have gone their way, it was a true thriller enjoyed by both teams.

Sharks latest merch’

Outside the Sharks matches, some of our players had international duties at the start of the month, with Japan hosting a Tri-Series with the Cook Islands and Thailand between May 7th and 11th followed by a 2 match series with the Cook Islands on the 13th and 14th. Sharkies Kendel, Ben and Ibby featured helping Japan reach the final of the Tri Series and achieving a clean sweep against the Cook Islands. Well done guys!

The start of the season was marked with sad news for one of the longtime members who lost their father. As a mark of respect all squads wore a black band on their arms for their first matches of the season.

The Sharks 2025 campaign kicked off on March 30th with a Japan Cup match against Men in Blue at Sammu. The Sharks were led by new T20 captain Abhi and featured a strong squad of JCL 1 and JCL 2 players. The match also saw the debut of 2 new Sharks, Rahul Koul and Lirushan. After winning the toss the Sharks decided to bowl. The plans for specific batters were executed to near perfection. Rithvik was on fire, getting a hattrick as part of his total of 4/15 and captain Abhi getting an impressive 3/12. After 20 overs MIB achieved a total of 120. The Sharks came out swinging, taking 15 off their first over and not looking back from there, reaching the required target in the 15th over. Openers Nikil and Rithvik almost wrapped up the game scoring 55-0 in 3.3 overs! After Rithvik was removed in the 5th over and Nikhil in the 7th the middle order put the finishing touches to the match, with Ghufi hitting 30 from 25 (not out) and Abhi contributing 21. The Sharks reached 121 for 4 winning in the 15th over. First match, first win of the season!

The weekend of 5th and 6th of April saw the Sharks JCL T10 campaign for 2025, with 2 league games on the 5th and the knockout matches on the 6th. 

The league games were all about letting everyone have a hit and believing that we bat very deep so no time to second guess…we would go for our shots from ball 1. We dominated the first league game against Men in Blue, winning by 9 wickets following some quick fire-batting batting from Ben (51 from 25 balls) and Dhugal (24 from 14 balls) after our bowlers had held MIB to 94/1. If the first game was a dominant performance led by the bat, the second against the Rising Stars was dominated by our bowlers. Batting first we set the Rising Stars a target of 108 with impressive figures from Nikhil (48 from 29 balls) and Ghufi (33 from 20 balls); then our bowlers got to work. Apart from the Star’s opening batsmen none managed to get comfortable and start building a score. 2 batters were removed for ducks, and 6 others failed to get over 5 runs apiece as Tim (3/10), Manav (2/11) and Ben (2/17) tore through the order. Takady also made a run out.

For knockouts we wanted to dominate with our fielding and we achieved this when we took down the Tigers in the semifinals. Batting first it looked like we were in trouble as we scraped over the line losing our last wicket on the final ball of the 10th over for a total of 76/10. Worryingly Nikhil and Dhugal both pulled their hamstrings running between the wickes, effectively putting them out of action….the Sharks knew they had to dig deep to overcome the Tigers batters. Freddy showed the way removing the Tigers opening batsman for a duck with his first ball – game on! Wickets then fell steadily under the deliveries of the Sharks bowlers with 5 players taking wickets. 2 substitute fielders (Tim and Rahul) from the 2nd XI, who were playing on the adjacent ground, even played their part by taking a catch each before leaving the field to resume their own game! In the end the Sharks superior bowling and fielding held the Tigers to 70/7 after 10 overs, the Sharks winning by 6 runs and securing a spot in the final. Reaching the final was a great achievement for the team, alas we were not to be so fortunate in this final of challenges. Our Opponents Sano frustrated our bowlers and managed to get to a total of 120/4 in their 10 overs. Despite the valiant effort of our batsmen, which included Ben hitting 38 from 15 balls, Ghufi hitting 21 off 10 and an injured Dhugal coming in at 11, we could only score a total of 96. Being crowned runners up in the T10 tournament is a great achievement, and we are proud of the team for securing the first Sharks trophy of 2025!

Whilst the T10 squad was performing heroics on SICG 1, over on SICG 2 the 2nd XI were taking on the Tokyo Titans in JCL Division 2, under new captain Rui Matsumura. Following a warmup session led by our training co-ordinator Nick, the Sharks batted first having won the toss. Batting performances across the team were good, with 6 players achieving double figures, however Rahul was the star batter getting a total of 102 and taking us much of the way to our total of 230/8. We could not feel safe, however, having last season failed to defend an even bigger score. The bowling attack started off perfectly with a wicket from Tim on the first ball, after which they plugged away with good economy until the 17th over, by which time the Titans were on 62/2. The up stepped Hammad on for the 18th over during which he removed 3 wickets for only 1 run! After this the Titans dug in and attempted to kill the game and deny the Sharks a bonus point by blocking the ball. In the end the batsmen ground out the rest of the innings, not threatening to win but frustrating our bowlers. The Sharks won as the Titans could only score 177/6 in their 40 overs. Despite the grinding finish there were celebrations all round at the 2nd XI`s first win in over a year.

The following Saturday, on April 12th The 1st XI had their first outing in JCL Division 1 against the Rising Stars, who beat us last time we played together in the league. Buoyed by the successes in the JCL T10 and JCL Division 2 the team went out looking for a fight and boy they didn`t disappoint! Having won the toss and chosen to bat they went great guns with the first 4 batsmen getting above 50 (Ghufi 65, Doogs 52, Ben 64, and Takady just missing out on a century with 94). After 40 overs the Sharks were 335/10. The Stars batsmen put up a valiant fight but were all out halfway through the last over for a total of 183. Freddy (3/20), Kento (2/39) and Ben (2/27) were the pick of the bowlers in a great performance with 4 batsmen clean bowled.

Division 4 and the Sharks 3rd XI was ‘all dressed up with nowhere to go’ after the round 1 match scheduled for April 13th was rained out. Our first game against Adore in three years was much anticipated by both clubs, who have a long and friendly rivalry. Although the 13th was to be an unlucky day for the Sharks 3rd XI, it was less so for Adore, who escaped a savage Shark beating!

Saturday 26th saw a double header for the Sharks with 1st and 2nd XI playing the Men in Blue in JCL Division 1 and Division 2 respectively, on adjacent grounds at Sano Riverside. 4 new Sharks were capped; Dylan (from New Zealand) and Keishi (from Australia) both visiting to play in the JPL and joining the 1st XI, plus Eric and Aman joining the 2nd XI. 

The 1st XI subjected MIB to the sort of thrashing that they gave the Rising Stars the week before, batting first and getting to 254/10 then dismissing MIB within 27 overs for a total of 122/10. The difference this week was that whilst no batsman scored a half century, 8 scored more than 15 runs, showing the depth of quality in our squad. Similarly 5 bowlers took wickets and the fielders took 2 runouts. Manav took the most wickets (3/30), whilst Ben had amazing economy (1/3 from 4 overs).

The 2nd XI also continued their winning streak with another playing scoring a century. Moose played the whole innings and was looking slow at first, scoring 28 runs by the 20th over when something clicked, he suddenly hit a reverse sweep for 6 and then opened up. By the end of the innings he was on 120 for the highest individual score of any Shark so far this year! Rithvik and Umar also played key roles scoring 28 a piece as the Sharks got to 247/4. The Sharks innings was also notable for another reason – a 16 ball over featuring 9 wides and a no ball. When the Sharks turn to bowl came captain Rui and Rithvik both took 3, with ever reliable Hammad taking 2. Eric took his first Sharks wicket with his first ball! MIB resorted to blocking to prevent the Sharks getting them all out before the 32nd over and getting an extra point. Our increasingly frustrated bowlers finally removed the last of their batsmen in the 35th over for 154/10 and a second consecutive Div 2 win, something that hasn’t happened since the 2023 season.

The new joiners enjoyed their day, though Dylan could be heard giggling and muttering `village` at the site of the riverside 1B ground and some of the MIB cricket that was on display…..lets hope he didn’t see some of the authors fielding in the Division 2 game, which was definitely of the village variety….

On Sunday 27th Japan U19 were playing PGN U19 at SICG in an East Asia Pacific Region qualification tournament for the 2026 U19 Men`s Cricket World Cup. As the squad featured Sharkies Nikhil, Tim and Max a number of the team went along to watch. Ash led the Sharks camp, which was established in one of the stands. Though small in number the Sharks fired up the ground with their cheers and showed the local crowd how fun supporting cricket can be and players from other clubs just how special the Chiba Sharks is. Japan also won, which was nice. A good end to a good month for the Sharks!

At the AGM on February 16th the club agreed changes to the club officers with Hiroshige taking the Manager role from Takady, who moved to Treasurer. Ben took over the Chiba Development Officer and Social Media Officer roles and the Umpire Coordinator role was abolished. Stepping down from officer roles in 2025 were Chris, Tetsu, Anton and Ash. On the Management Committee Dave stepped away for 2025, being replaced by Will.  

Shortly following the AGM the Captains for the 2025 squads were announced. Dhugal will continue to lead the 1st XI and KB the 3rd XI, however Rui will now lead the 2nd XI and Abhi the Japan Cup, JCL T10 and JCL T20 squads. 

The Sharks would like to thank the Officers and Captains who stepped down in 2025 for their commitment and contribution in 2024.

During February and March some members of the Sharks and JCA worked together to rebuild the cricket nets at SICG, which are an important facility for the Japan National side. At what first seemed like quite a simple job turned into a backbreaking few weeks of work as removing the old artificial turf and chipping away the old glue was surprisingly tough. However perseverance, elbow grease (Ben and Will), and words of encouragement (Dhugal) saw the job completed just in time for the JPL Trials in mid March. Clubs participating at SICG can use the nets for warmup and practice so the Sharks will be benefiting directly from the refurbishment soon.

A big change for this year’s pre-season training routine was a full day on-pitch training session held at Sano Riverside Ground 1A in early March. Nick led the Sharks in various fielding, bowling and batting drills, including center wicket practice that allowed the members to create a more realistic in-game situation. At the end of this training the Sharks were joined by Vik’s puppy, Rey. After excitedly greeting / running around / running after the players and taking part in the team photo, Rey was welcomed as the clubs first (unofficial) canine mascot ….we had better remember to keep her away from the Shark…..

The pre-season ended on March 23rd with our now customary friendly games against the Tokyo Wombats. Unlike last year when the weather was cold and bitter, this year the day was perfect for cricket with bright sunshine and balmy, warm weather. As with last year the Sharks won one game (Ben smashing 77 from 25 balls and Nikhil 43 from 25 as the Sharks chased down 137 in 8 overs) and lost one (no comment). Next weekend the season kicks off proper with the Sharks opening Japan Cup match against Men in Blue. Will 2025 bring success to the Sharks, or will lady luck favour another team again? Keep watching to find out….

The start of the season was marked by the changing of the guard in the Sharks management with Marcus taking over from long time president Dave and Anton stepping back from his position as club Manager. Also new in the 2024 season was the Sharks 3rd XI, created to complete in the new JCL Division 4 competition with the dual purpose of developing those new to cricket and letting senior members keep playing. As with most seasons there was the normal traffic of players joining and leaving, however this season the new intake was particularly big – we hope a sign that we are doing something right?!?

The 2024 season also saw the creation of a new word – Sharksmanship (noun)  fair, friendly and convivial behaviour exhibited during a cricket game by a member of the Chiba Sharks Cricket Club.

The Cricket

In 2024 the Sharks competed across 6 different leagues / competitions; the JCL Division 1, 2 and 4, the Japan Cup (East Kanto Division 1), the JCL T10 and the JCL T20.

For our 1st XI in the JCL Division 1 2024 was a season of transition. The side bought in a lot of talented young players. Eight 1st XI debutants: Nikhil Pol, Ben Ito, Al Kadowaki Fleming, Abhi Dewan, Kento Ota-Dobell, Manav Natarajan, Musashi Fujihara, Gufi Mir. In the end the squad finished in 5th place with a 6-4 record. This included losing the last two matches of the season in slow outfields that were not favourable conditions for the side. Probably an underachievement considering the talent within the team however the goal is to play in the finals next year. Highlights for the 1st XI were:

• 6 players making their debut in round 1, a hard-fought win, Nikhil taking a great catch for the last wicket;
• Marcus Thurgate’s epic 95 off 77 balls to get us home by one wicket and retain the Shearer-Thurgate cup;
• Kendel Kadowaki Fleming single-handedly winning the game against Tigers with 155 not out off 86 balls: and
• Gufi’s quickfire 77 not out off 25 balls against Alpha Quashers.

It is also notable that three of the Sharks 1st XI made it into the JCL Team of the Year: Dhugal, Ben and Nikhil!

Our 2nd XI in the JCL Division 2 struggled throughout the season, for the second season in a row, and failed to win a single game. The way they went about this was frustrating for the side as they both failed to protect good scores and failed to chase down mediocre ones. Some element of unluckiness always seems to be against the side. But in cricket as in golf ‘you make your own luck’ so in 2025 this is what the side must do. Highlights for the 2nd XI, though limited, were:

• Sud hitting 63 not out against Rising Stars for 2nd XI’s only half century of the season;
• Tim taking 3 wickets and three catches against MIB; and
• Hammad taking 3 wickets in three separate games.

Our 3rd XI in the JCL Division 4 also struggled, but did not go winless and enjoyed many of their encounters; if they could have changed one thing it would have been stopping the other teams fielding players from their Division 1 sides as a way of battering the opposition – but hey-ho not everyone is a sporting as the Sharks! Highlights for the 3rd XI were:

• Ali getting a five-for (5/58) against the Men in Blue;
• Yasir hitting 86 off 58 balls against KKR; and
• Sud hitting 81 off 105 balls against Tokyo Titans.

The author will also add his own highlight, if not really one for the team, running out the final Titan’s Batsman on the last ball of the innings and at a score of 399 – preventing the Titans getting a 400. The Titan`s won 399 – 66, however, which was the 3rd XI’s biggest defeat of the season….

Our Japan Cup side performed well, if not brilliantly, winning 2 games and losing 3. One of the losses was close fought, so the side have a real chance of improving on this position next year and making their way into the playoffs. Highlights were:

• Abhipray knocking 78 off 40 balls against Tskuba and then hitting 75 off 50 against Myoden the following match; and
• Yugandhar taking 4/18 against Tskuba.

The JCL T10 and JCL T20 are shorter competitions played over a few weeks, and with a playing XI drawn from players in the main squads. In neither of the competitions did the Sharks progress beyond the initial stages this year, however highlights were:

• Muneeb taking 4/18 in the JCL T10 win against Tokyo Falcons; and
• Ben hitting 27 off 15, Takadi hitting 27 off 16 and Abhipray hitting 25 off 7 in the JCL T10 loss against Tokyo Falcons.

The Awards Night

The Sharks wrapped up the 2024 season on November 30th with the annual Sharks Award Night, held under Tokyo Tower in the Siddique Palace restaurant. Sharkies old and new were treated to a non-stop service of Pakistani food and beverages whilst Anton acted as the master of ceremonies and announced the winners of the awards for the 2024 season. The Sharks prides itself on being different from other cricket clubs, and our awards are one of the areas where we are different; each award is unique and hand crafted by our in house Meisterhandwerker Anton (you can see a picture of each of the awards in our Hall of Fame, on the top menu of this site). Whilst the awards were in progress the Japan U19 Asia Cup match against UAE was being projected in the background, so we could see if young Sharks player Tim would help Japan win…unfortunately he didn’t and they didn’t but there was a collective cheer from the Sharks as Tim hit his first run, then a collective groan when he was bowled on a total of 1 after 11 balls.

A total of Ten cricketing awards were presented, with an eleventh award, the much sought after Spirit of The Shark being presented to Hiroshige for his great contribution to the club and doing much so much to help it run smoothly. In the cricketing category Ben picked up the Cricketer of the Year and also the Best Fielder award, Dhugal was the Best Batsman for the 12th time and Muneeb was the Best Bowler. The best T20 player was awarded to Abhipray for his performances across the JCL T20 and Japan Cup, the best 1st Year Player to Nikhil and the Most Improved Player went to Tim. Best 2nd XI Batsman was awarded to Sud and Best 2nd XI Bowler to Hammad, finally the 3rd XI Player of the Season went to Will (your author). Prizes were also given for Sharks players of the matches (as voted for after each game).

After the Awards Night (part one) drew to a close, a Nijikai was held at a venue near by, and rumour has it an unofficial Sanjikai may have been held after that…and that, dear readers was the end of the 2024 Season!

But before we part we would like to close with a thankyou to Interakt, our main sponsor, as well as Libra-Japan and Autocraft, who have supported us over the last three seasons. We are deeply grateful for all the support we receive from our sponsors and could not exist without it. The Sharks is a growing cricket club and also a community that people want to be part of, and we are looking forward to giving back to our sponsors and community with success in the coming seasons. Additionally we would like to give a special thank you to Dr. Wheatgrass for their ongoing support and to Siddique Palace for providing outstanding service at our Awards Night.

See you in 2025!