THE Twenty20 revolution is coming to Wyndham.
In the coming weeks, the MILO T20 Blast program will be staged at Point Cook to provide boys and girls aged eight to 12 years with the perfect platform to be introduced to cricket.
MILO T20 Blast has been designed to bridge the gap between MILO in2CRICKET and traditional hard-ball competition, ensuring a smooth transition between formats for younger participants.
But there is a twist.
To help replicate the experience of the KFC T20 Big Bash League, which involves the Melbourne Stars and Renegades, the program has been built around hitting sixes, taking classic catches and listening to current music hits.
Cricket Victoria game and marketing development manager Rohan O’Neill said a lot of planning had gone into the program.
“The development of the T20 Blast competition is one of our main priorities for this coming season,” he said. “That is directly aimed at that transition from Milo In2Cricket into club environments.
“They are aimed at a graduation from Milo In2Cricket into a modified competition which goes for about an hour and a half or an hour and 15 minutes over an eight-week period. That is aimed to integrate those players into clubs out in the west who for example would have an under-10 competition.”
Staged over an eight-week period, the format has a focus on all round participation with participants experiencing all aspects of cricket.
The modified rules allow kids to further develop their skills without the strict parameters of the traditional format of the game, with each session lasting between 75 and 90 minutes.
Australian T20 captain George Bailey was quick to throw his support behind the new program.
“I love playing the T20 format and with it now being the favourite format for kids around Australia, MILO T20BLAST will be the perfect opportunity for girls and boys to have fun, learn some new skills and stay involved in cricket,”
“It is always good to see how much fun the kids are having and it is great to see the T20 game generating interest in cricket.
“It is action-packed and being a short time frame it is perfect for both kids and their parents.”
MILO T20 Blast will be staged at the Saltwater Reserve, Point Cook Rd, Point Cook (Synthetic Oval) from November 25.
A free Come and Try Day will be held on November 11, between 10am and noon with anyone interested in joining the program encouraged to attend.
