A host of emerging Victorian Premier Cricket players and BBL rising stars to feature in new T10 tournament

Seventeen-year-old Aryan Sharma will be in the action when Cricket Victoria launches T10 in Australia with a five-team tournament at the Junction Oval this month.

A host of players from Victorian Premier Cricket will be on show when the state body launches T10 cricket in Australia with a tournament at the Junction Oval this month.

Australian Under 19 representative Harry Hoekstra and 17-year-old Aryan Sharma are among the contingent of Premier players called up to the Melbourne Stars and Melbourne Renegades Academy teams for the “Melbourne T10 Invitational’’.

Casey South Melbourne rising star Harry Hoekstra in action for his club. Picture: Andy Brownbil

Matches will be broadcast live into India by Fancode, owned by Dream 11, and in Australia by Kayo Sports.

It’s understood Cricket Victoria (CV) has plans to build the tournament into a Twenty20 format, playing under lights.

Subject to planning approval, installation of the lights will start in November.

Five BBL Academy teams – the Stars, Renegades, Adelaide Strikers, Sydney Thunder and Sydney Sixers – will play in the fastest form of the game at the St Kilda ground 10 days from April 7.

Jonathan Merlo and Harry Dixon will be in action during the T10 tournament. Picture: Getty Images

CV says the tournament – which will involve many first class-contracted players and has been approved by Cricket Australia – will provide “more opportunities for players across the state to compete in elite matches’’.

“The Melbourne T10 Invitational, delivered in partnership with Dream11, will be an opportunity for domestic talent to play against each in a high-energy, fast-paced format,’’ a CV statement said.

Victorian-contracted players Sam Harper, Campbell Kellaway, Tom Rogers, Liam Blackford, Jon Merlo, Sam Elliott, Douglas Warren, Austin Anlezark and Reiley Mark are in the Stars Academy, which will also include late-season Victorian call-up Blake Macdonald and Premier players Hoekstra (Casey South Melbourne), Christian Howe (Melbourne) and Max Birthisel (Footscray).

State-squad members Harry Dixon, Dylan Brasher, Jai Lemire, Xavier Crone and Cam McClure will turn out for the Renegades Academy, as will Netherlands captain Scott Edwards, fast-rising Oliver Peake and quick bowler David Moody – both of whom played for the Vics late in the season.

Netherlands' captain Scott Edwards will also be involved in the tournament. Picture: Money Sharma / AFP

Premier division players Arjun Nair (Camberwell Magpies), Jackson Smith (Northcote), Callum Stow (Geelong), Harkirat Bajwa (Melbourne) and young Sharma, a left-arm orthodox spinner and dashing batter coming through at Carlton under Evan Gulbis, will also be with the Renegades.

Former Sydney Thunder player Nair had an outstanding season for the Magpies, leading the Premier wicket list with 38 at 13.95 and cracking 542 runs.

Arjun Nair when playing for the Sydney Thunder in 2020. Picture: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images

Left-arm orthodox spinner Stow, who made his BBL debut for the Renegades this season, and off-spinner Bajwa are seen as two of the state’s best slow-bowling hopes.

Cricket Victoria CEO Nick Cummins said in a statement: “We are looking forward to the first year of the Melbourne T10 Invitational.

“This is a fantastic opportunity to continue providing important match experience to players right through to the end of the season.

“I’d like to thank Cricket NSW and SACA for their commitment to travel to Melbourne. We are pleased to be able to have the flexibility to host a tournament like this at CitiPower Centre late in the season.’’

The Invitational will start on Monday, with the Renegades meeting Sydney Thunder at 1pm and the Stars and Sydney Sixers following at 3.30pm.

Entry to the tournament is free.

Originally published as A host of emerging Victorian Premier Cricket players and BBL rising stars to feature in new T10 tournament