2022 Minor League Cricket Championship Announced

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Stallions batsman Ray Ramrattan drives down the ground. Photo dated Sept. 25, 2021 by Major League Cricket

SAN FRANCISCO, CA Minor League Cricket (MiLC) announced May 4 that Toyota will return as title sponsor for its second season of play in 2022, with Sunoco signing on as presenting sponsor for America’s first and only nationwide T20 championship.

The MiLC is a national Twenty20 cricket competition for city-based teams from across the United States, launched in 2021 with 27 teams taking part. The most extensive competition in American cricket, MiLC provides a foundational structure as a pathway to Major League Cricket and the United States National Team for the nation’s best players.

Strikers batsman Narsingh Deonarine punches through cover. Photo dated November 3, 2021 provided by MiLC

The MiLC also announced today that the draft for the 2022 season will take place on Thursday, May 12. Twenty-seven teams will again participate in the competition starting on Saturday, June 25, with over 200 games scheduled to take place this summer.

Toyota’s return as MiLC title sponsor follows their support of the inaugural season in 2021, with the championship won by the Silicon Valley Strikers last October. The Bay Area team, captained by Unmukt Chand, defeated the New Jersey Stallions at the final held in Morrisville, North Carolina.

Sunoco joins the Minor League Cricket family as the presenting partner for the 2022 season, to feature 27 teams and 500 players in games held nationwide across 20 cities, the most extensive cricket competition in the United States. Sunoco will be the Official Fuel and Official Convenience Store of Minor League Cricket.

Lions batsman Iain Beverley is bowled missing a sweep. Photo: provided by MiLC

“Following the most extensive tournament in American cricket history taking place successfully in 2021, we can’t wait to bring back an even stronger Toyota Minor League Cricket Championship presented by Sunoco in 2022,” Justin Geale, Tournament Director, Minor League Cricket is quoted saying in the press release. “The support from Toyota and Sunoco for this league will strengthen the growth of cricket in communities across the country, with Minor League Cricket serving as a critical pathway to the USA National Team.”

Minor League Cricket logo. Photo: courtesy MiLC

“Toyota is proud to once again support Minor League Cricket this season as they continue to grow this exciting sport here in the United States,” said Darcey Rayner, Sponsorship Strategy, Integration & Activation, Toyota Motor North America. “After the success of last year’s season, we are excited to see the players and teams from across the country compete this summer for the Championship.”

“Sunoco is excited to partner with Minor League Cricket and support the sport’s continued growth across the country,” said Fred McConnell, Director of Marketing, Sunoco. “Sunoco knows how much the sport of cricket means to so many of our customers, and is proud to invest in the cricket community and its continued success.”

Organizers said the Toyota Minor League Cricket Championship presented by Sunoco features the strongest cricketers across the country with each team roster including a selection of marquee professional players, priority domestic players, and a required number of U21 and U19 players to support the development of emerging talent for the United States National Teams.

Yorkers captain Smit Patel goes to play a scoop over fine leg. Photo: MiLC

Twenty-seven teams will again contest the 2022 MiLC season. Twenty-five teams return from the inaugural season, with the Chicago Tigers replacing the Chicago Catchers in the Central Division, while the Southern Division welcomes the Atlanta Lightning, with the Atlanta Param Veers departing. Two other teams in the Central Division will feature name changes: the Austin Athletics will now be known as the Lone Star Athletics and the Irving Mustangs as the Dallas Mustangs.

The second season of MiLC will run for eight weeks of regular season action nationwide this summer. The Toyota Minor League Cricket championship will conclude with Conference semi-finals held Aug. 20-21 and Finals Weekend over Aug. 27-28.

For more details contact media@majorleaguecricket.com

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