Following the conclusion of a highly successful second season of the Toyota Minor League Cricket championship presented by Sunoco (MiLC) this past weekend, Major League Cricket (MLC) thanks all 26 participating teams, ownership groups, umpires, sponsors, fans and players who contributed to ten weeks of intensely competitive play that featured 200 matches nationwide.
MLC is delighted that its semi-professional development league, Minor League Cricket, is delivering on its purpose to provide a pathway for American cricket talent with a new era for the sport now underway in the United States. Thirteen players selected by USA Cricket in the 14-man squad for the Men’s National Team’s ICC Cricket World Cup League 2 Series in Papua New Guinea in September participated in MiLC this season, providing elite domestic competition in preparation for national team duty.
The Seattle Thunderbolts celebrate winning the 2022 Toyota Minor League Cricket Championship
In addition to opportunities to play in MiLC, MLC is pleased to be able to support multiple National Team players with full-time annual contracts and opportunities to participate in training camps utilizing MLC facilities and coaches. Six players contracted directly by MLC, including captain Monank Patel and vice-captain Aaron Jones, are amongst the selections in the current USA squad. Two U-19 players in the current squad, Rahul Jariwala and Sai Mukkamalla, are also recipients of MLC’s UST Emerging Cricketer Scholarships providing further opportunities for elite development training both domestically and overseas.
“The 2022 MiLC season provided another step forward for the level of play in domestic cricket, as we saw in the fantastic competition this past weekend with the championship deservedly won by the Seattle Thunderbolts,” said Justin Geale, Vice-President of Cricket for Major League Cricket. “Alongside MiLC play, Major League Cricket is committed to advancing the National Team program with professional contracts for players, training camps domestically and overseas for senior and U-19 players and the use of first-class MLC facilities.”
“The consistent quality of play in MiLC and the opportunity to take part in training camps and tournaments organized by MLC is helping our national team get stronger every year,” said Aaron Jones, USA National Team vice-captain and captain of the Atlanta Fire, 2022 MiLC finalists. “It’s exciting to see young talented players coming through and developing quickly with the improved facilities and coaching now available in American cricket.”
