Long standing Japan captain retires

Ema Kuribayashi, the captain of the Japanese women's cricket team has called time on her nine year international cricket career.

Kuribayashi, who has been captain of the women's side for six years, made the decision to step down after the side successfully defended their EAP championship title in Vanuatu in May. She will now turn her attention to boxing, in hopes of becoming an Olympic athlete.

She was introduced to cricket by a friend during her first year at university and instantly enjoyed the game.

"There was a selection camp and the coaches were surprised at how good my arm was as I was a former softballer," she said.

A year later she went on her first tour with the Japanese side to the Netherlands and played against cricket power houses the West Indies, Pakistan, Ireland and Scotland.

"At the time I didn't know cricket was a global sport," she said. "Lots of women were playing cricket and doing well. I tried to be a player like them and started to work very hard."

That hard work paid off for the 29 year old, who took over the captaincy in 2006. Her first tour as captain was to Papua New Guinea, for an EAP tournament and things didn't go as planned.

"It was a hard time for me as the Japan team wasn't very strong," she said. "After that tournament I considered retiring, but I'm glad I didn't."

Former White Fern player and former coach of the Japanese team Katrina Keenan was instrumental in the development of Kuribayashi's game and it was her that encouraged Kuribayashi to stay on with the team.

Keenan was the coach of the side during 2010, a successful year for the Japanese.

"A highlight for me was winning the 2010 EAP women's Trophy in Japan, then going on to win a bronze medal in the Asian Games," said Kuribayashi. "The Asian Games was huge in Japan and it did a lot for cricket."

2010 was also the year she joined the Japan Cricket Association as a staff member. She had returned from a sabbatical playing cricket in Christchurch, New Zealand and saw an opportunity to pass on her knowledge and skills to children.

While she will no longer be involved with cricket directly, she knows it has had a huge impact on her life and will be cheering from the side-lines. "Cricket changed my life," she said. "My time in cricket has been enjoyable. It's enjoyable playing a sport and it's enjoyable working with team mates.

"I also want to thank everyone for supporting me during my career both as a player and as a development manager. I'll be supporting the JCA and the teams one hundred percent," she concluded.

Japan Cricket Association CEO Naoki Miyaji said Kuribayashi has been a great addition to the JCA family and knows the future is bright for her.

"Ema has been an integral part of the side, and the JCA for many years. She is very determined and hard working. We wish her all the best for the new adventures ahead," he said.