Japan U-19 Cricket Trials: Sports Photo Field Report

Action shot of a cricket batsman in blue gear and a yellow vest swinging at an approaching ball on a grassy field.

It was another exciting day at the Sano International Cricket Ground for the Japan U-19 National Academy Squad 2021 trials. Having recently been there to photograph the women’s team, I was eager to return and see what the young men could do.

I managed to capture some great action, and we all got a glimpse of what the future might hold for Japanese cricket.

Action shot of a young cricketer in a blue vest bowling a ball, with wickets and bleachers on a sunny field.

Japan’s road to the Cricket World Cup

The players arrived with a clear goal: to secure a place in the National Academy Squad and, ultimately, compete in the Under-19 World Cup. It was their day to prove themselves.

A focused cricket batsman in a red jersey and maroon helmet plays a shot at the practice nets.

Head Selector Simon Dart and Head Coach Dhugal Bedingfield were ready for them. They put the boys through the same rigorous fitness and skills tests used for the women’s trials. While Japan may not have a long history with cricket, these kids clearly knew what they were doing.

Teenage talent & technique on display

Some of the U-19 pace bowlers were very impressive, delivering good speed and displaying control to move the ball off the pitch and through the air.

Action photo of a young man in a yellow vest bowling a cricket ball at practice nets.

I was also happy to see spinners in the mix. As a massive fan of leg-spin, idolizing legends like Bill O’Reilly, Abdul Qadir, and Laxman Sivaramakrishnan, I loved watching them bowl. They were supported by sharp work from the wicketkeeper.

Action shot: a cricket ball knocks over a stump as the batsman misses his shot on a field with a dark tree line.

The batting was equally excellent. The boys had a full range of shots, and baseball had obviously influenced a few of them. That hard-hitting style might actually be an advantage in the T20 format. Most importantly, they were young, eager, and ready to learn from Simon and Dhugal.

Action shot of a cricket batsman in a yellow vest swinging at a ball on a sunny field with trees in the background.

Photography lessons: Lighting & position

These photographs made me happy. They captured the action and are “clean,” meaning that few distractions were in the background to take focus away from the players.

A focused cricket bowler in mid-delivery, with the ball in the air and wickets behind him on a sunny field.

However, if I could retake these photos, I would change one major thing. I realized too late that I made a mistake with my positioning: I was shooting into the sun, leaving many of the players in the shade.

Action shot of a cricket batsman in red gear swinging at a ball near the wickets on a field with leafy trees.

I should have set up on the other side of the pitch. If I had done that, the sun would have lit them beautifully. Unfortunately, due to time constraints and the schedule of the day, I didn’t make the move.

A cricket batsman in blue gear looks back from the wickets on a sunlit field with trees in the background.

It was a missed opportunity, to say the least. I should have asked for some changes to get better angles, but it’s a valuable lesson learned for next time. If conditions don’t suit us, we need to be proactive and make changes.

Action shot of a cricket batsman in blue gear swinging at a ball, with a fielder and wickets on a grassy field.

Despite the lighting challenges, I enjoyed my time photographing the trials. I wished the boys the best of luck; achieving their aims will be an excellent thing for Japanese cricket. Please leave questions or comments below! For more sport articles, look at [My First Experience with Futsal Photography].