Australia Launches Eight-A-Side Cricket Tournament (7 May 1996)

Australia launches eight-a-side cricket tournament

MELBOURNE, Monday - An eight-a-side tournament to be played as an abridged form of the one-day game was launched by the Australian Cricket Board (ACB) on Monday.

Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and India will join an Asian invitational side for the competition in Kuala Lumpur from July 12-14.

Matches are predicted to last about two hours, with each side bowling 14 overs. Hits over the boundary are worth eight runs instead of the normal six, and batsmen will have to retire once they score 50.

Australia will field two teams in the competition, drawn largely from the ranks of the country`s six Sheffield Shield sides, the ACB said.

Former Australia captain Allan Border, who retired from firstclass cricket in March, will play for the Asian invitational side.

ACB chief executive Graham Halbish said: "By introducing a fast, participant version of our game, cricket is looking after its grass roots and strengthening the sport at international level at the same time.``

The tournament in Malaysia will be followed by three similar events in Australia over the following three weekends featuring the country`s six state sides, the ACB said.

Source :: Daily News (http.//www.lanka.net)