DAY 1 – Friday 30th October
Hong Kong ‘A’ v Hong Kong Dragons
At Mission Road Sports Ground (Tin Kwong Rd)
Pleasant conditions greeted the two teams for the opening match of the East-Asia T20 Championships. Hong Kong Dragons skipper Ady Lee won the toss and elected to field first.
The Dragons kept the powerful Hong Kong A batsmen to a reasonable 1/39 after the power play with the skipper the best of the bowlers with only 11 runs off his 3 overs including the wicket of left handed opening batsmen Ninad Shah with a superb off cutter.
The going was tough for the ‘A’ side as they struggled to rotate the strike with Jonathan Foo entering the attack with his crafty off spin. Hong Kong ‘A’ keeper Chris Carter found it tough against the spin of Foo making only 6 off 23 deliveries before being trapped on the crease for LBW.
Hong Kong ‘A’ needed some intent and to build some pressure against the Dragons. Entered former national vice captain in Waqas Barkat who built a strong foundation with opener Raag Kapur before he went for a well-made 52 and continued on with Awais Mohammad, the pair then putting on a quick fire 38.
However the Dragons made it tough for themselves after dropping Waqas Barkat three times, all when he was in single figures. Hong Kong ‘A’ still struggled to find the gaps and boundaries only reaching their 100 at the end of the 17th over.
However, Barkat then smashed the Dragons death bowlers for four boundaries and two towering sixes straight down the ground. The last three overs went for 42 runs and is an area the Dragons will need to improve on if they are to challenge for the title.
Hong Kong ‘A’ set a respectable 143 for victory and started well with the ball as they took three early wickets. National Squad member Adil Mehmood bowled with some pace that Dragons hadn’t really experienced previously and were looking in trouble at 3/10.
Enter the Caribbean Premier League star Jonathan Foo who hit his first ball blistering down the ground for four of Mehmood, Foo combined with Wai pilled on a quick 40 runs in just 5 overs. The two of them smashing 3 sixes and 3 fours in the 40 run partnership to take the Dragons to 4/50 in the 9th over.
Requiring over 8 an over for victory, Foo continued the challenge to the bowlers as he mixed brutal strength and timing to smash 68 off just 38 balls before miss timing a on drive to provide an easy catch at point off Lamplough.
Lamplough finished the innings by taking the final two wickets and restricting the Hong Kong Dragons to 102 all out in the 20th over.
Scores in Brief: Hong Kong ‘A’ 4/142 (Kapur 52, Barkat 40*, Awais 22, Foo 1/7, Lee 1/25) defeated Hong Kong Dragons 102 (Foo 68, Wai 21, Lamplough 4/11 Mehmood 1/8, M.Khan 1/16) by 40 runs
New Balance Man of the Match: Jonathan Foo
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Hong Kong Cricket Club v Japan (Warm up match)
At Hong Kong Cricket Club
Warm and fine conditions greeted the players at Hong Kong Cricket Club where the home team hosted Japan in a 35-over per side warm-up game.
Japan batted first and their innings got off to a flying start with Muhammad Khan taking the long handle to the HKCC opening bowling attack featuring Mariko Hill. Hill’s four over spell cost 44 runs but she did manage to pick up the wicket of Naotsune Miyaji who top-edged a pull shot and was caught by Ravi Achan for 4.
Belan Aiyadorai was belted for 32 off his two overs and Tom Ingram went for 40 from 5 as Japan rattled along at over ten runs per over. Ingram eventually got the dangerous Khan, gloving a pull-shot behind to keeper Tom Menogue for a belligerent 59.
Japan’s skipper Masaoni Kobayashi was next to fall when leg-spinner Jhathevedh Subramanyan grabbed a brilliant one-handed return catch.
Kanadage Navarathna (34) and Tomoki Ota (38) batted well in the middle overs before Ravi Achan picked up two wickets in quick succession for HKCC.
Tsuyoshi Takada boosted Japan’s total with 26 but he was trapped LBW off the bowling of Harry Ledger. Japan was eventually dismissed for 215 from 30 overs.
For HKCC, Ravi Achan and Brenton McDonald claimed 2/15 and 2/27 respectively.
HKCC’s reply got off to a solid start with skipper Isaac Poole and Jhathavedh Subramanyan initiating the run chase. But just as their partnership looked set to flourish, Poole was dismissed by Nozomi Tomizawa for 12.
Tom Menogue was caught by Navarathna for 13 and then Raheel Kano claimed three quick wickets to knock the stuffing out of the HKCC middle order.
Meanwhile Jhathavedh was batting with maturity beyond his 16 years and he single-handedly kept the HKCC run-chase going as wickets tumbled at the other end. Mariko Hill chipped in with a confident 13 and Harry Ledger struck 16 but none of the HKCC batters were able to stay with Jhathavedh for any length of time.
The HKCC innings was wrapped up after 32 overs for 175 with Jhathavedh carrying his bat for a fine unbeaten 83.
For Japan, Raheel Kano picked up 3/17 from four over spell while Naotsune Miyaji claimed 2/16, also from four overs.
Scores in Brief:
At HKCC: Japan 215 from 35 overs beat HKCC 175 from 32 overs by 40 runs.
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DAY 2 – Saturday 31st October
Japan (Home team) vs China (Away team) At Kowloon Cricket Club
Japan faced little trouble in their Twenty20 match against China as they cruised to a convincing nine-wicket win at the Kowloon Cricket Club on Saturday.
Despite a rain shower or two in the morning, the sun greeted China and Japan as they walked out onto the field. China captain Wang Zihao won the toss and had no hesitation in batting first on a belter of a wicket.
However, his decision to do so backfired as opening batsman Lin Zhengpei was cleaned bowled by Nozomi Tomizawa for a three-ball duck.
Zhengpei’s wicket was the start of a recurring theme for the Chinese team as their batsmen struggled to get accustomed to the pitch and scorching conditions.
To make things worse, there was a lack of communication between the Chinese batsmen on numerous occasions, which led to three of them getting run out.
In the end, captain Wang Zihao, who was the last man in, top-scored for China with six not out as his side were skittled out for 56.
Makoto Taniyama, Tsuyoshi Takada and Kohei Wakita picked up two wickets apiece, while Tomizawa chipped in with one.
Chasing 57 to win, Japan got off to a blistering start and were cruising towards the finish line until Muhammad Khan was dismissed by Song Yulin for a quickfire 23.
Noatsune Miyaji and skipper Masaomi Kobayashi mopped up the remaining runs to lead Japan to a comfortable nine-wicket win.
Song was the only bowler to take a wicket.
Taniyama was named Man of the Match for his superb figures of 2/5 off four overs.
Scores in Brief:
Japan vs China at Kowloon Cricket Club
China 56 all out lost to Japan 57/1 by nine wickets.
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DAY 3 – Sunday 1st November
Hong Kong Dragons vs Japan at Kowloon Cricket Club
Japan opener Naotsune Miyaji scored an unbeaten 73 to lead his side to a comfortable 31-run over the Hong Kong Dragons on Saturday.
Despite the slightly overcast and cooler conditions, Japan skipper Masaomi Kobayashi had no hesitation in batting first.
His decision paid off in the end as Miyaji and himself took the attack to the Dragons’ bowling attack.
While none of the other Japanese batsmen were able to have a major impact, Kobayashi smashed 63 off 37 balls, which included seven boundaries and two sixes to put the Dragons on the back foot.
However, once he was dismissed by Adrian Lee, Miyaji took over and his spectacular innings of 73 not out, which came off 61 deliveries and included 10 boundaries, led Japan to 178/6 off their 20 overs.
Dragons captain Adrian Lee was the pick of the bowlers with three wickets, while Adrian ‘Jet’ Lee, Siegfried Wai and Jonathan Foo chipped in with one wicket apiece.
Chasing 179 to win, the Dragons did not get off to the best of starts as they lost Foo for 15.
However, an encouraging 25 by Damien Yee and 30 from the skipper put them back in contention.
Wai was easily the Dragons’ top performer with the bat as he hammered 45 off 34 balls, which included five sixes. Unfortunately, his valiant effort wasn’t enough to see the Dragons over the finish line as a lower order collapse towards the end saw them fall short of their target.
Kohei Wakita was the most successful bowler with three wickets, while Tsuyoshi Takada got two and Makoto Taniyama claimed one.
Miyaji was named Man of the Match for his sparkling innings of 73.
Scores in Brief:
Hong Kong Dragons vs Japan at Kowloon Cricket Club
Japan 178/6 beat Hong Kong Dragons 147/7 by 31 runs.
Hong Kong Dragons vs China at Kowloon Cricket Club
In the second match of the day, Hong Kong Dragons leg-spinner Li Kai Ming led his side to a 16-run win as he sliced through China’s batting line-up with an exceptional four-wicket haul in a low-scoring affair.
After opting to bat first, the Dragons found themselves in all sorts of trouble as a spirited Chinese side reduced them to 47/4 in the 11th over.
However, while wickets continued to fall at regular intervals, Jonathan Foo walloped a quickfire 27 and James Chan kept a cool head during his unbeaten 21 to help the Dragons post a total of 118/9 off their 20 overs.
Chen Jinfeng and Qing Peng picked up two wickets apiece, while captain Wang Zihao Lin Zhihong, Song Yulin and Feng Yu took one wicket each.
Chasing a modest total of 119 to win, Ming tore through China’s top order and even took two successive wickets to leave them in dire straits at 48/6 in the 10th over.
But, Song’s knock of 22, Chen’s innings of 19 and the 14 wides the Dragons bowled saw China creep back into contention.
With China inching ever closer to, what would be heralded as, a stunning come-from-behind victory, the Dragons pulled their socks up and delivered when it mattered most to end their tournament on a high.
Ming inflicted the most damage with four wickets, while Foo and Ron Lau snapped up two wickets apiece and Michael Zheng chipped in with one.
Ming was named Man of the Match for his superb bowling figures of 4-14 off his four overs.
Scores in Brief:
Hong Kong Dragons vs China at Kowloon Cricket Club
Hong Kong Dragons 118/9 beat China 102 all out by 16 runs.
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DAY 4 – Monday 2nd November
Hong Kong A vs Japan at Mission Road
Hong Kong A opener Raag Kapur smashed an unbeaten 60 to lead his side to a convincing nine-wicket win over Japan.
Japan captain Masaomi Kobayashi would have been pleased with his decision to bat first early on even though Muhammad Hanif Khan was dismissed for one run as he and Naotsune Miyaji amassed a 61-run partnership.
But, once the stand was broken by Hong Kong A skipper Waqas Barkat, Japan collapsed as they went from 63/2 to being bowled out for 102.
Kobayashi was the only batsman to have an impact as he scored 41 off 28 balls, which included five boundaries and a six.
Barkat was the pick of the bowlers with three wickets, while Tanveer Ahmed snapped up two wickets and Adil Mehmood, Daljeet Singh and Kinchit Shah chipped in with one wicket apiece.
Chasing 103 to win, Hong Kong A got off to a decent start before losing Ninad Shah, who was caught and bowled by Tsuyoshi Takada for five runs.
However, that was to be Japan’s last taste of success for the rest of the match as Kapur and wicketkeeper Chris Carter put together an unbeaten 72-run partnership to finish things off.
Kapur ended up making 60 off 45 balls, which included four boundaries and four sixes, while Carter remained undefeated on 34 off 36 deliveries, which included one boundary and three sixes.
Takada was the only bowler to take a wicket.
Barkat was named Man of the Match for his spectacular bowling figures of 3/5 off four overs.
Scores in Brief:
Hong Kong A vs Japan at Mission Road
Japan 102 all out lost to Hong Kong A 104/1 by nine wickets.
Hong Kong A vs China at Mission Road
Hong Kong A opener Raag Kapur stole the spotlight once again in the second match of the day as he blasted an unbeaten 68 to help his side demolish China by 178 runs.
Kapur was brilliantly supported by his opening partner Giacomo Lamplough, who scored 50 not out and took four wickets as well.
China captain Chen Jinfeng would have been mulling over his decision to bat first as Kapur and Lamplough amassed a sensational 118-run partnership before Kapur retired on 68 off 42 balls, which included five boundaries and four sixes.
Kinchit Shah only managed to make six runs before Lamplough also retired after bringing up his half-century off 35 deliveries, which included five boundaries and a six.
Hong Kong A skipper Waqas Barkat provided some end of innings fireworks as he thumped one boundary and fives sixes during his highly entertaining knock of 41, which came off just 15 balls.
Thanks to Kapur, Lamplough and Barkat, Hong Kong A finished on a mammoth total of 223/5 off their 20 overs.
Feng Yu, Pu Xianliang and Geng Changyue took one wicket each.
Chasing 224 to win, China struggled right from the get-go and were unable to muster any sort of offense as Chen and Pu were the only two batsmen to reach double figures as they scored 15 and 12 respectively. As a result, China were skittled out for a dismal 45.
Lamplough wreaked havoc on the Chinese team as he picked up four wickets, while Mohsin Khan got two and Saad Mohammad and Ehsan Nawaz claimed one wicket apiece.
Lamplough was named Man of the Match for his superb all-round performance.
Scores in Brief:
Hong Kong A vs China at Mission Road
Hong Kong A 223/5 beat China 45 all out by 178 runs.
Awards
- Bowler of the tournament with eight wickets – Giacomo Lamplough (HK A)
- Batsmen of the tournament with 180 runs – Raag Kapur (HK A)
- Champagne Moment for his eye-popping catch – Tian Suqing (China)
- Captains player of the tournament – Naotsune Miyaji (Japan)
- Player of the Tournament (MVP) – Raag Kapur (HK A)
- Runners up – Japan Team
- Winners – Hong Kong A