But one of the country’s most accomplished players is spending her international retirement in Christchurch, turning out in the Metro competition at the age of 44.
Spin bowler Shizuka Miyaji is playing for Sydenham while completing a master’s degree at the University of Tsukuba, northeast of Tokyo, where she is researching coaching communication and player motivation – with a particular focus on cricket in New Zealand.
"It’s perfect,” she said of playing in Christchurch.
“No stress. Of course, it’s very tough, because the level at Sydenham is so high, but the girls are so nice and I really enjoy the time here.”
Miyaji grew up in the city of Nishinomiya in southeastern Japan and was a massive baseball fan, but it was not until she started university in Kyoto at 19 that she discovered cricket via a club on campus.
“I was like ‘oh, cricket, it looks very similar (to baseball)’,” she said.
“There is much difference, I know now!”
She stuck with the sport, and in 2006 – five years after first picking up a bat and ball – she made her international debut.
“I just kept playing cricket and having fun, then we had a big tournament in Papua New Guinea and Japan was looking for players.”
Miyaji went on to represent her country more than 70 times over 17 years before retiring in 2023 to focus on her studies and make way for younger players.
She said cricket’s popularity was growing in Japan, and with that growth had come more depth and quality in the national side.
“When I played for Japan, for women, sometimes it's very hard to keep playing after finishing uni – they get a job,” she said.
“But now there’s a young generation coming through, who are keen to improve, they’re working hard and now improving a lot, getting more experience.”
Miyaji helped Japan get the closest it has ever been to a World Cup, taking part in qualifying tournaments in Bangladesh in 2011 and Ireland in 2013, where she captained the side.
Japan struggled at both events, though managed to beat Zimbabwe in the playoff for ninth in 2011 – still one of the best results in the team’s history.
She remembers facing teams like Pakistan, the West Indies and Sri Lanka at those qualifiers – a huge challenge for a developing cricket nation.
“Of course, they smashed us, it was so hard.
“Against Chamari Athapaththu (of Sri Lanka), I was fielding at point, and she hit it to me so hard, the ball sounded like it was fizzing, and it's like ‘okay, I must stop it’.”
Miyaji also had the chance to play alongside some of the world’s best after being selected for the FairBreak Invitational in 2022 and 2023 in Dubai and Hong Kong, a tournament designed to bring together players from across the cricketing world.
Her teammates included former Pakistan captain Bismah Maroof and English spinner Sophie Ecclestone, while she faced White Ferns batter Suzie Bates and claimed the wicket of Katey Martin.
“Associate players have barely any chance to play higher level cricket, we always play against the same level countries,” Miyaji said.
“So we learned a lot, and they gave us some money and covered all expenses too.”
For now, Miyaji is focused on finishing her master’s degree, due to be completed in September next year, and is considering continuing on towards a PhD.
This is her third season playing for Sydenham, after stints in 2022/2023 and last season, a club she learned about through former Japan teammate Erika Oda who previously played for there from 2018-20.
“It will still take four years to finish my PhD, after that, maybe I will be a coach for Japan or maybe I will stay in uni to keep doing my research.
“I’m here to get some practical experience as a coach, so it will be helpful for my future career and will also help the girls in Japan.”
She expects to keep playing until the end of this season, or potentially the next, before finally hanging up her boots.
