MLC aim for the stars, set draft for March 19 at Houston’s NASA Johnson Space Center

Major League Cricket have announced their draft and combine dates. Roughly 60 of the top cricketers in the USA will gather to participate in “a series of training sessions, match simulations and practice matches” at Prairie View Cricket Complex in front of scouts and staff of MLC’s six franchises from March 4 through March 16. 

Following combine activities, MLC will stage a draft at the NASA Johnson Space Center on March 19. A live Draft Show will be streamed on the Major League Cricket Network on YouTube.

“Major League Cricket will feature many of the best T20 players from around the world in its inaugural season playing alongside the strongest domestic talent in the United States. The MLC draft will set the teams in place for what will be a summer of thrilling T20 competition to be played at a level never before seen in the United States,” said Justin Geale, Tournament Director, Major League Cricket in the annoucemen. “We’re excited to see the teams take flight following the draft event on March 19th at Space Center Houston.”

Each MLC franchise could feature as many as seven international stars, with the rules about playing eleven composition, retention, and draft order still to be announced. Team names for the New York, Seattle, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Dallas and Washington DC franchises have also yet to be announced.

The launch of Major League Cricket follows two full seasons of its development league, Minor League Cricket. Across the country, 27 teams competed in 2021, and 26 teams in 2022 for the National Championship of T20 cricket. Lasting ten weeks in each season and played on weekends, MiLC has led to the development of new turf and hybrid wickets across the USA, and has prepared the nations top players for an opportunity to be selected in Major League Cricket. Still, MLC will feature only about 10% of MiLC players, comparable to the percentage of minor league baseball players who make it to Major League Baseball. 

MLC have invited USA Cricket to join the player combine in order to prepare for the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier Play-off in Namibia in late March, though there is word of a preparation tour of Bangladesh which could conflict with the combine and draft. 

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