Korea v Japan (EAT20 Game 1) Played at Hong Kong Cricket Club

Date: Thursday 21^st September – Korea won the Toss and elected to Field

The 2017 East Asia T20 Cup has arrived with hosts Hong Kong being joined by China, Korea and Japan. Fixtures are scheduled at Hong Kong Cricket Club, Kowloon Cricket Club and Tin Kwong Road Recreation Ground over the next 4 days with a round robin format being played initially before the finals series on Sunday.

Korea v Japan (Game 1 at Hong Kong Cricket Club)

Korean captain Seungmin Song won the toss and elected to field. Japan got off to a steady with the opening pair of Yanagida and Kanno combining some strong boundary options with good strike rotation. A brief interruption for rain during the 6^th Over offered both teams the chance to reassess their position and fortunately no time was lost and the full 20 Overs were still able to be played. Japan continued to score freely and made their way to 54-1 off the first 10 Overs.

The introduction of Mino Baek to the attack turned the game around and with excellent figures of 4-0-2-9. The Korean team fought back through some excellent bowling, catching and fielding leading to a number of run outs in the Japanese innings. After the departure of opening pair Yanagida (22) and Kanno (22) the Japanese innings faltered from 64-1 to 110-8 at the end of their allotted 20 overs. Korea showed some excellent skills in reigning the Japanese innings back where at one stage a score of 120+ looked a possibility. Both teams at the hallway point would have been relatively happy as to where they were placed.

The Japanese new ball bowlers and fielders were invigorated in the opening 5 overs reducing the Koreans to 14-4. Myaji and Kobayashi combined to take the opening 4 wickets with some high quality new ball bowling and catching. The middle order pairing of Kim and Park set out to resurrect the Korean innings and at the halfway stage, Korea found themselves at 32-4 with plenty of work ahead of them as they required 79 more runs to win the game.

A fine innings of 20 by Kim was bought to an end by the returning Kobayashi who picked up her 3^rd wicket. The game was evenly poised with Korea at 71-5 still requiring 40 to win off 30 Balls with 5 wickets in hand. Some lusty blows by Park continued to reduce the target and leading into the last 18 balls, Korea were left still requiring 29. Kobayashi bought back for her 4^th and final over got the all-important breakthrough in having Park caught at cover for an excellent 27. Kobayashi finished her allotted 4 overs with fine figures of 4-24 and going into the penultimate over Korea needed 21 to win. A mixture of some decent running, some wides and No Balls left the game still in the balance going into the final over with 15 needed to win or 14 to force a potential Super Over. The left arm spin of Myaji led the Japan team over the line registering a 9 run win.

A fantastic start to the competition and a great spectacle for all those watching. Japan take 2 points for wards into tomorrow’s 2^ndround of fixtures

Result – Japan won by 9 Runs

Player of the Match – Etsuko Kobayashi (Japan) – 4-0-25-4

Hong Kong v China (EAT20 Game 2) Played at Hong Kong Cricket Club

Date: Thursday 21^st September – China won the Toss and elected to Field

Game 2 of the 2017 East Asia T20 Cup saw the hosts Hong Kong take on China. The matches between Hong Kong and China have traditionally been keenly fought contests and the game played at Hong Kong Cricket Club this afternoon was in near perfect conditions for cricket albeit very warm!

Hong Kong v China (Game 2 at Hong Kong Cricket Club)

China Captain Li Haoyue called correctly at the Coin Toss and China elected to field first.

Hong Kong’s opening pair of Daswani and Gill strode purposefully out to the wicket and proceeded to take the attack to the Chinese bowlers during the initial power play period. Some fine attacking strokes from Daswani accompanied by some smart batting from Gill saw the partnership reach 50 in the 8^th over. Daswani in particular was keen to seize on any errors in line and length from the Chinese attack.

Hong Kong were well set at 80 for no loss after 11 overs with 170+ a genuine target with some attacking talent still to come in the middle order. The 100 partnership between Daswani and Gill coincided with an excellent half century for Daswani. The Chinese attack continued to work hard to make the breakthrough and commendably stuck to their task. The breakthrough was finally made at the start of the 17th with the score on 130 for no loss when the impressive Zhongyuan comprehensively bowled Gill for a well-made 35. The China attack battled through to the end of the full 20 overs and done well to restrict Hong Kong 161-3. Yasmin Daswani with an excellent 71 Not Out held the inning together for Hong Kong and China will be happy with the way that they bowled and fielded in the last 5 overs where at one stage 180+ looked likely.

China’s opening pair of Caiyun and Yanling started off with a positive intent whilst up against the experienced new ball pairing of Chan and Hill, Chan was the first to make the breakthrough with Caiyun well caught by Ho at mid-off with the score on 14. Chan picked up hers and Hong Kong’s second wicket with an excellent diving catch by Chan Sau Har at Extra Cover with the score on 16. Annie Ho chipped in with the 3^rd wicket after Yanling chipped the ball to captain Hill stationed at short mid-wicket. Ho once again was in the action taking another athletic catch at Mid-Off to gift Gill a wicket in her opening over reducing China to 20-4 in the 8^thOver.

Some excellent batting in the middle order form Z Chan (35) in the middle part of the innings kept China moving forwards and her form will be a plus for the team as they move into the next stages of this tournament.

Hong Kong’s fielding display was full of energy throughout with some excellent catches taken and high standards within the inner circle.

Overall, a comprehensive and clinical win for Hong Kong and they will move forwards with confidence into the next phase of the tournament but mindful that standards need to be continually improved. For China, they are lessons to be learned from today’s performance and much is expected of them as they move on into the weekend.

Result – Hong Kong win by 87 runs

Player of the Match – Yasmin Daswani (Hong Kong)