The US is getting its taste of fast-paced Twenty20 cricket action with the NuWare New Jersey Twenty20 event. Twelve teams are taking part in the tournament including all-star teams from New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania and New York U-25.

In keenly contested semi-final matches, New Jersey?s Global Challengers defeated North Jersey Renegades and Philadelphia Terminators prevailed over New York Knights to reach the finals. The finals between Global Challengers and Philadelphia Terminators will be played on October 18th at the scenic Mercer County Park in West Windsor, New Jersey. The entertainment filled extravaganza will include Bollywood dance and band performances.

A US based company, DreamCricket.com, is organising the tournament whose profile has been enhanced by the presence of several past international cricketers including Ramesh Sadagopan of India, Neil McGarrell of West Indies and Guyana, and nearly a dozen current and former first-class players including Vishal Nagamootoo and Vijay Seonarine of Guyana, Aditya Mishra and Aby Joseph of India, and Zaheer Abbasi of Pakistan.

The tournament has also served as an avenue for top regional and national level players to showcase their talent. That list includes current and the former US team members such as Imran Awan, Chintan Patel, Amjad Khan and Zamin Amin; under-15 player Cameron Mirza; the current and former US under-19 players Romeno Deane and Akeem Dodson. Amidst all the action on the field, a notable feature has been the sponsorship interest that the NuWare New Jersey Twenty20 event has generated. Long term commitment by sponsors is vital for kick-starting the growth of cricket in the US.

Calling it a ?milestone? cricketing event in the US, NuWare?s CEO Venk Krishnan said ?As a founder of Sayreville Gladiators, I have first-hand experience with cricket organisation and am aware of the immense potential that cricket has in the US. This event successfully elevated the competition by drawing the who?s who of cricket in the region have engaged in explosive and action-packed Twenty20 cricket, spectators have been more than entertained.? NuWare, a technology solutions company with a presence both in the US and India, is known in both countries for its longstanding support of cricket.

For equipment maker Reebok, the tournament marks its entry into the nascent US cricket market. Subhinder Singh Prem, Managing Director of Reebok India, said that Reebok?s support would serve to enhance the quality and excitement of the event. ?As a leading cricket brand in Asia and other cricketing countries, it is Reebok?s endeavour to also spread the popularity of the game in North America. This tournament is a step in the right direction,? Prem said.

The attractiveness of the tournament for companies trying to reach the NRI segment cannot be underestimated. Talking about Citibank?s involvement with the tournament, Anand Subbarayan, head of Marketing for Citibank NRI services said: ?We know how passionate our customers are about cricket. When DreamCricket.com told us about the opportunity to become a Gold Sponsor, we agreed immediately.?

It is largely due to the support of these sponsors that DreamCricket.com was able to draw up a prize purse valued at over $10,000 including $5,000 cash prize for the winner. In addition to the above sponsors, Smith Barney, TechnoPrism, Stuart Sports and Murtha Cullina LLP, have supported the tournament in its first year.

Of course, as is the case with India, media coverage is another major factor. EBC 1170AM, a popular radio destination among the East coast diaspora will broadcast the final live and several local TV channels are expected to cover the event as well. ?We have successfully proved in our inaugural year that the US is ready for big-league cricket. Plans are underway to expand the reach of this tournament across the country,? Venu Palaparthi, Tournament Commissioner and co-founder of DreamCricket.com said ahead of the finals. ?The support of our sponsors, media partners and spectators gives us the confidence to commit more resources to the growth of this sport in the US. While this indeed marks an interesting beginning for cricket in the US, whether or not it can be sustained will determine if cricket does become a major spectator sport in the US a decade or so from now.

The writer is a sports critic