Three Hong Kong T20 Blitz franchises taken, one more still up for grabs

Three out of four available franchises for next month’s Hong Kong Twenty20 Blitz have been snapped up, with the Hong Kong Cricket Association willing to go with a tri-series tournament if there are no more takers.

The deadline for silent bidding was on Saturday night and HKCA marketing and commercial director Max Abbott said the response was excellent.

“The response and interest we’ve had from this tournament has been incredible,” said Abbott.

“Having said that, there is quite a process to go through to commit to purchasing a franchise and as a result we still have one available.

“We’d have liked to have finalised all the teams on the weekend, but it’s part of the journey. We are confident this week we can complete our line-up of teams and if not, we’re comfortable with playing a tri-series if need be.”

The Blitz is scheduled for the weekend of May 28 and 29 at Mission Road, with franchises costing a minimum of HK$50,000 each. Each team would also be able to choose players in a draft on April 28, with several overseas players expressing interest in taking part.

Twenty20 tournaments such as the Indian Premier League and Australia’s Big Bash, among others, have proven to be popular and lucrative events for organisers and players and have filled stadiums.

The HKCA is hoping to become part of the global circuit and is determined to stage the Blitz.

“Regardless the Blitz will go ahead and if there’s anyone out there who still wants to be a part of it, we encourage them to get in touch,” added Abbott.

“This concept has scope to be huge for cricket in Hong Kong and a lot of eyes will be on us at the end of May – it’s a great opportunity for someone out there to be a part of it.”