For The First Time In India, A Cricket Talent Hunt On TV, Web and Mobile Phones

Legendary cricketers Allan Border, Greg Chappell, Adam Gilchrist and Mike Kasprowitz to select 15 best cricketers in India in a digitally converged event.

Mumbai, India (PRWEB) July 10, 2006 -- The Australian International Sports Academy (AISA) in association with The Flea announced the launch of a talent hunt that will pick 15 under-19 boys who have the requisite skills to be coached under the Chappell Way in Australia. These young men will then be pitted against an Australian team picked in a similar fashion in Australia, in what is to be called The Outback Ashes.

This will be the first time in India that a talent hunt will be carried out across two continents and use three mediums: television, Internet and mobile phones.

Explaining the concept, Tony Dell, Executive Director, AISA says, “This talent hunt emerges from Greg's firm belief that talent exists in our backyards and given the opportunity and training we can develop world-class cricketers. To that end we have signed on Australian cricketing greats, such as Allan Border, Adam Gilchrist, Geoff Dymock, and Mike Kasprowitz who are participating in this event to find talent that can be developed in world class cricketers.''

Greg Chappell has agreed in principle and is coordinating his schedule.

Sunil Shibad, Director, The Flea, explains how digital convergence will work on this talent hunt. ``We will have on ground selection where boys under 19 can display their skills in bowling or batting before the distinguished panel of judges that will include Border, Gilchrist and others. Those who cannot reach the grounds will have the option to register online and film themselves bowling and batting via their mobile phones and upload it on our website. The judges will then handpick the players from such uploaded videos.

The Outback Ashes cricket talent hunt will then run through a selection process from which will emerge 15 winners. This will be telecast on TV and webcast on the Internet, simultaneously. What makes it so exciting is that this event offers the perfect opportunity to demonstrate the power of digital convergence in India.

The opportunities for sport in the Internet and mobile sector are definitely looking promising in India. The market is currently ideally placed for a bullish mobile telephony service or web portal to enter now at lower costs and enjoy the steep growth curve that is imminent. Whereas markets are slowing down or stagnating in the West, India offers huge value and exhilarating growth to those who dare.

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