Cricket NSW ready to launch into Major League Cricket

The world’s newest professional cricket tournament, America’s Major League Cricket, will kick off on July 13 and Cricket NSW will have more than a few seats at the table.

As the high performance partners of the Washington Freedom franchise, a host of CNSW staff are in the USA, ready and raring to go when the Freedom play their first fixture on July 14 against the Seattle Orcas.

Here’s all you need to know about the most exciting T20 cricket project ever to kick off in the United States of America.

The teams
There are six teams in the inaugural season of MLC. Joining Washington Freedom in creating history are the Texas Super Kings, Los Angeles Knight Riders, MI New York, San Francisco Unicorns and the Seattle Orcas.

Team partners
Each team is supported by a world class cricketing partners who have managed teams at the highest-levels of global T20 cricket.

• Washington Freedom - Cricket New South Wales (high-performance partner)
• Texas Super Kings - Chennai Super Kings
• Los Angeles Knight Riders - Knight Riders Group
• MI New York -- Mumbai Indians
• San Francisco Unicorns - Cricket Victoria (high-performance partner)
• Seattle Orcas - GMR Group (co-owner of the Delhi Capitals, high performance partner)

The venues
In the first season, that runs from July 13-30, all 19 matches will be played at the newly-constructed and purpose built 7,200 seat Grand Prairie Stadium in Texas or Church Street Park in Morrisville, North Carolina.

The fixture
The season will feature 19 matches in total, with each team playing every other team once, before a four team, four match final series.

For the full fixture, click here.

The Players
MLC team rosters will each feature multiple top global T20 superstars alongside the best players from the domestic player pool, including dozens with experience playing international, First-Class and List A cricket.

Each team will have a minimum of 16 players and a maximum of 19 players on its squad, including one under-23 domestic "rookie" player to help develop the next generation of American players, along with another nine domestic players.

Each team is permitted up to nine international players on its roster. No more than six international players are permitted in the playing XI, with five domestic players to feature in each match and ten domestic players on each roster at all times.

Washington Freedom
CNSW’s partners, Washington Freedom, will be led by NSW Men’s Team head coach Greg Shipperd and Sydney Sixers’ BBL-winning captain Moises Henriques. Joining them in the star-packed squad are fellow Sixers players Josh Philippe and Ben Dwarshuis, as well as Sydney Thunder leg spinning prodigy, Tanveer Sangha. Former Sydney Thunder and New Zealand fast bowler Adam Milne is also on board. Former South African star Dale Steyn is on the team’s coaching staff.

For the full Washington Freedom playing roster, click here.

Washington Freedom fixture 

 
Cricket NSW influence
Aside from Henriques, Philippe, Dwarshuis and Sangha on the field, there are no less than nine CNSW staff members helping guide the squad from beyond the boundary rope.

• Michael Klinger – GM Cricket, Washington Freedom
• Patrick Farhart – Head of SSSM
• Greg Shipperd - Head coach
• Cameron White – Assistant coach
• Shawn Bradstreet – Assistant coach
• Kieran Thoms – Physiotherapist
• Mike Najdan - Performance Analyst
• Elle Thompson - Team Operations Manager
• Chris Muldoon – Washington Freedom-CNSW liaison

Sydney Thunder all-rounder Daniel Sams will also take part in the tournament, having signed for the Texas Super Kings, while NSW Blues spinner Adam Zampa will turn out for the Los Angeles Knight Riders.

How to watch
The tournament will be screened live in Australia on Fox Cricket and Kayo.