New Delhi, Dec 11 (IANS): Change is the only constant and to spice things up in the game of cricket, Last Man Stands has come up with a unique format in India to discover 'skilled and aspiring young' cricketers in the country.
The game has evolved a lot since it was first founded and the introduction of the different shortest formats in the last 18 years has only seen the excitement going up.
The first edition of The Last Man Stands (LMS) India Super Series, the world's largest amateur T20 cricket league in India was launched last month by former South African skipper AB de Villiers.
Wayne Greve, the founder of Last Man Stands (LMS) feels tournament has been specifically designed to showcase, on a national and global stage, the skills of the many young and upcoming amateur players in India.
"An exciting first for amateur cricket, the India Super Series, is aimed at inspiring undiscovered, skilled, and aspiring young cricket stars. A talent finder for amateur cricket," Wayne Greve told IANS in an exclusive interview.
"The tournament has been specifically designed to showcase, on a national and global stage, the skills of the many young and upcoming amateur players in India. With so much great cricketing talent in India, It is often challenging for individual players to be seen, let alone recognised beyond their local communities," he further said.
"The India Super Series is the only amateur organisation with a platform able to reach global and national audiences with its wide spreading coverage via global streaming/broadcast, live scores, statistics, and social media," Wayne Greve added.
The tournament which is slated to be played in March next year will consist of each squad having at least 2 under-21 players. The older players in each team will mentor their younger teammates.
City teams who have already joined up, such as Kathiwaidi, Gurgaon, and Vasai-Virar, are already planning trials in a bid to give the local youngsters in their towns this amazing opportunity.
The tournament format is bit different and yet unique. It is an 8-a-side cricket format played on a normal cricket field that is aimed at increased participation, skill development and providing amateur players with an experience that is normally reserved for professionals.
"We are thrilled to bring LMS to India. We plan to further our passion for developing an exciting version of the game. We believe in shaping the future of cricket and interconnecting global communities," said Wayne Greve.
"LMS will give an opportunity for some amateur players from overseas to be involved in teams. Expect to see South African, English, New Zealand, USA & Australian players on the team lists as each team is allowed 4 international amateur players," he added.
Meanwhile, CommsCredible has acquired the Gurgaon franchise of the India Super Series. The company has named its franchise as 'Gurgaon InCredibles'.
CommsCredible founder Aman Dhall said that their firm is trying to build a brand with a focus on expanding it globally. He also explained the reason behind having a go at a sports team.
"While we are an integrated communications consulting firm where PR is one of the services we provide, we at a broader level are a media advocacy & PR tech start-up firm. As a start-up when you are trying to build a brand and disrupt the market, you need to be innovative with your marketing approach to stand out from the crowd. We, as a firm, believe in holistic well being and active lifestyle. I have played this format personally, and I believe it's the best 100 ball (T20) format for amateurs where you need 8-player participation. It's intense, tactical and yet a fun format where every ball counts," Aman Dhal told IANS.