Listen Live
PraiseIndy Featured Video
CLOSE

Indianapolis will host a revived U.S. amateur cricket tournament and championship beginning next year at a complex the city is developing into a world sports venue.

City officials and the United States of America Cricket Association announced Friday that they have struck a three-year deal, through 2016, for an annual four-day tournament. The kickoff in late August 2014 will involve eight regional teams, each culling the 14 or so best players from amateur leagues within its boundaries.

The United States has 50 cricket leagues, said Darren Beazley, USACA’s new chief executive officer.

“You’re going to see a very good standard of cricket,” said Beazley, adding that the bat-and-ball sport has similarities to baseball. Cricket is played on a giant circular field that has a narrow rectangular “pitch” in the middle.

Beazley said the U.S. National Men’s Cricket Championships will offer sport officials a chance to see the country’s best players in action, with an eye toward fielding a national team.

Mayor Greg Ballard and the Indiana Sports Corp. pushed hard to win hosting rights. Ballard has taken criticism from some for spending $6 million to expand Post Road Community Park into a nearly 50-acre complex that will have five multi-use fields accommodating international sports, including cricket, lacrosse, Australian rules football, Gaelic football, rugby and hurling. It can accommodate two giant cricket fields.

according to indystar.com