Cricket Star is a Reality now

MUMBAI: 'Cricket Star', a reality cricket show based on the popular Indian Idol, is all set to be launched from August.
The Leicestershire-based company, Investors In Cricket (IIC) and the cricket Board, have entered into a long-term agreement to help select a new emerging star - boy or girl - in February 2007.
Among those likely to help them in that process are former greats Kapil Dev, Geoff Boycott, Nasser Hussain and Michael Atherton.
Former Middlesex player Simon Hughes has conceptualised the show. Similar shows, by IIC, are expected to be launched in England and Pakistan next year.
This is the first of the five reality cricket shows which is being planned and has been approved by the Board of Control for Cricket in India. As was reported a few days ago, more offers are also in the pipeline from former stars
Steve Waugh, Sunil Gavaskar. Also in the running to start a show is television star Smriti Irani.
IIC was formed in 2004 and a International Twenty20 Championship held last year in Leicester was their first venture.
The winner of the first series in India will earn a year's all expenses paid contract with Leicestershire County Cricket Club in 2007. The show will roll for 11 weeks after the application process begins in August, before the number is brought down to 40.
And after another round of screening, the list will be pruned down to 22, so that a final group can train at the Academy at the Punjab Cricket Association Stadium, Mohali.
IIC's chairman Manoj Badale, informed that the contest is open only to under-19 players, who have played at club or school level. "The players at state under-19 level can also be part of the programme. It will include both girls and boys. But the girls can expect no easy way out, they will have the same tests as the boys," said Badale.
The BCCI, according to Badale, will provide a selector to be part of the screening process. "Also Kapil, as Cricket Development Committee chairman of the BCCI, will be present. But, unlike what has been perceived, the show will be just another process to the existing systems. The winner will not join Indian team," added Badale.
The programmes are going to be produced by Miditech, who were also part of Indian Idol.
The format of the programme will involve, just like the 'Indian Idol', a series of in-studio events with three judges and a number of celebrities dropping in to test the budding cricketers.
Also part of the programme are on-field tests including Twenty20 matches against Select XIs drawn from state and zonal teams.
Even the viewers can vote out the contestants before the winner is crowned in February.
HOW IT WORKS
A nationwide application process from August-September Regional screenings to start from October to November Celebrity judges, coaches to select a final group to train from December Finalists spend upto 11 weeks in the Academy at Mohali and are subjected to televised mental and physical tests Weekly Twenty20 matches against Select XIs Life at the Academy to be televised Public will be allowed to vote by phone or SMS bringing the final down to two rivals Cricket Star will be named in February 2007.