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BASEBALL Australia has announced that Team Australia will play a series of games against a full-strength Japanese National team in March 2018. Team Australia, which includes Greenwell Point’s Tim Atherton, will play the Japanese national team in at the Nagoya Dome in Nagoya on March 3, and at the Kyocera Dome in Osaka on March 4, 2018. These games are a concerted effort from Baseball Australia to ensure Team Australia has ample opportunity to prepare for one of the most important periods of international competition in our history. Following the announcement of an annual series of games against Cuba, these games against Japan will serve as preparation for the next three years of international competitions, including the 2019 Premier12, 2020 Olympic Qualification and the 2021 World Baseball Classic. Team Australia will play against Japan in the baseball mad cities of Nagoya and Osaka at the beginning of March, nearly a year to the day since Australia finished in a record high 9th place at the 2017 World Baseball Classic. Baseball Australia CEO Cam Vale sees this as an opportunity to give Australia’s best baseballers continued exposure on the international stage. “We must continue to build significant relationships that ensure Team Australia has as many opportunities as possible to play on the international stage,” Vale said. “To have consistent opportunities to play against teams like Japan ensure that Team Australia brand continues to grow as this will be a key focus in our strategic direction.” “This announcement comes following the ABL’s impending expansion, and with our presence in Asia growing stronger each day, we’re excited to play Japan on their home soil.” “We are honoured that an organisation such as NPB has invited us to compete in these games in 2018, and we look forward to a continued close partnership with them in the future.” Team Australia has made significant advances on the official WBSC Rankings presented by ENEOS, with a rise from 12th in early 2016 to a record high 7thfollowing the U18 World Cup in September 2017. General Manager of Team Australia Baseball Glenn Williams is excited to see Team Australia get more regular gametime. “It’s an exciting opportunity for our team to return to Japan and take on the number 1 ranked team in the world,” Williams said. “It’s a fun place to play, we always get treated really well in Japan and it will be another great experience for our team as we work towards Olympic qualification.”

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