Esperance Cricket Association is hosting a T20 competition this spring. Photo: Greg Symes.
The Esperance Cricket Association is bringing a new white ball T20 competition to the Esperance Cricket Ground this spring.
Teams will go head-to-head under lights in the four-week “Cape Le Grand Slam T20” from October 25 to November 15.
Esperance Cricket Association president Neill Liddle said the tournament would feature four “franchises” and was open to all senior cricketers, including women.
Liddle said the concept was born last year and would involve drafting players into teams at a “draft night”.
The Cape Le Grand Slam T20 draft night will be held at the Travs Wine Bar commencing at 5.30pm on Monday October 13.
“It’s a good social environment… it sort of brings together players that normally play against each other,” he said.
“Also puts regular teammates against each other so it’s quite an interesting dynamic.
“We’ll look to draft the top eight players into each team — we are very mindful we don’t want to embarrass anyone being the last person picked.
“The last three or four spots on each list will probably be decided behind closed doors to make sure we’ve got the right team balance as well.”
Mr Liddle said games would be on Saturday in the afternoon and evening, the first match commencing at 2.30pm and the second partially under lights from 5.30pm.
He said they wanted to create a “festival atmosphere” and would have a DJ for the grand final who would play music during the game.
It is the first “Cape Le Grand Slam T20” in Esperance and comes after the Association ran a trial T20 competition last year which Liddle said was successful.
“We got really good feedback from players that played in it,” he said.
“They said they enjoyed the way the teams were divided up and playing with people they don’t normally play with, so we thought we’d push it a bit further this year and try and expand it just to grow on it.”
He said the competition was already “growing legs quickly” and keen players could register online.
“There is a $50 charge to cover the umpire and the ball fees and that’s just a one-off charge,” Liddle said.
“If people are interested in registering, they can just head to our Facebook page – there’s a register now button which will take them to the PlayHQ website.”
Elders Insurance Invincibles, Elders Finance Flames, RSM Renegades and Lister Electrical Sparks are the sponsors the tournament and currently hold the naming rights to the four franchises.
