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An incredible experience for Japanese cricket trio
The Hindu
Three Japanese female cricketers experience South African cricket ahead of Global Cricket Tournament, with hopes of developing women's cricket in Japan.
It is not often that you would find cricket and Japan in the same sentence. The game may have been introduced to the locals by the British in the 19th century, but it hasn’t yet quite caught the imagination of the people of a country that is one of Asia’s sporting superpowers.
But, things are changing. And you could see the change at Centurion this past week. Three female cricketers trained at the SuperSport Park, ahead of the inaugural edition of the Global Cricket Tournament this week at Irene, near Centurion.
Akari Nishimura, Elena Kusuda and Erika Oda reached Centurion ahead of Christmas and also watched the first Test between South Africa and India. “It was great watching a Test in front of such a big crowd,” said Elena. “Having grown up in Brisbane, I used to watch Tests at the Gabba.” She is thrilled that she has become a part of the new women’s tournament in South Africa and is looking forward to the event that features stars of South African women’s cricket like Sune Luus, Anneke Bosch and Masabata Klaas. “This is a big opportunity for us and women’s cricket in Japan,” she said.
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Like Elena, Erika too has watched Test cricket before, in New Zealand. “I feel really lucky to be able to play cricket in such a wonderful facility here in South Africa, with great coaches, strength coaches, physios, everything,” he said. “It is an incredible experience considering we are from a country where cricket is still developing.”
The Japan Cricket Association (JCA) believes the development will now be faster following the IOC’s decision to include cricket in the 2028 Olympics. “It represents a major opportunity for cricket in Japan and we are excited about working with the Japan Olympic Council in the coming years,” said Naoki Alex Miyaji, CEO, JCA.
Alan Curr, Head of Cricket Operations, JCA, said the IOC’s decision helped the game gain more attention. “We have a wonderfully diverse cricket community,” he said. “Women’s cricket in Japan perhaps peaked between 2008 and 2012 when we had a strong team and won bronze at the 2010 Asian Games.”
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The Hindu Future India Club (FIC), in association with VIT-AP, Amaravati, will organise a seminar on ‘Career Opportunities in Law, Management and Sciences’ on July 31. The event is being organised in collaboration with GEMS Public School on the campus of the institution near Acharya Nagarjuna University in Guntur district.
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The Central Bureau of Communication (CBC) of the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting organised a photo exhibition at Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Bhawan in Guntur on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the Kargil Vijay Diwas on July 26 (Friday), commemorating the valour, supreme sacrifice and victory of the soldiers in the Kargil War in 1999. The exhibition is being organised for three days.