It’s not often you see a game of cricket being played in Japan and I’m not sure what the mostly elderly onlookers and teenage softball playing kids made of it. I’ve lost count of the amount of times I’ve explained to friends here that their beloved baseball is actually a spinoff of cricket. Not only were casual spectators witness to some fine cricket, but they were also privileged to a fine selection of Pakistani/Indian tunes booming from one of the many car stereos.

The Sunday afternoon meet up, I was told, was ‘just a bit of fun’, which it was, but things got pretty competitive once the first ball was bowled. One bowler – who incidentally pulls off some very respectable Bollywood dance moves – was in the same cricket club as Salim Malik, and the pace of his fast bowling was testament enough that he was telling the truth.

If you live in the area and know the rules of cricket get in touch. Newcomers are more than welcome.

クリケットご存知ですか。日本では滅多に見られないスポーツですが、毎週日曜日、近所のパキスタン人、インド人、スリ・ランカ人などが試合しています。先週末、取材に行って来ました。試合しながら、皆の車からインドやパキスタンの音楽が流れていましたが、散歩中のおじいちゃんやソフトボール部の女の子たちはどう思ったのでしょうか? クリケットのルールをご存知の方は、是非参加してください。いつでもウエルカム!