Press Trust Of India

New Delhi, Jun 30: The Board of Control for Cricket in India, in association with Investors in Cricket (IIC), on Thursday launched 'Hunt for India's first Cricket star' to find out the best young cricketer in India.

The initiative, part of global hunt for the best young cricketer, will begin in August and the final selection will be done in November. The winner will earn a place at the national trials and a year's expenses-paid contract with Leicestershire County Cricket Club.

From August onwards, aspiring young cricketers in India can apply on-line or by post and after a screening. Shortlisted candidates will be invited to attend auditions at a regional centre under the auspices of a local cricket board. They will be assessed there by celebrity cricket judges, including national selectors and BCCI technical staff.

The final group selected will attend the Cricket Star Academy from November and the finalists will have to spend up to 10 weeks for evaluation by a panel of cricket legends and current India Test and ODI players.

They will play televised cricket matches against state XIs, India Under-19 XI and celebrity XI. The final selection will be done through voting by television viewers by phone, online or text SMS messages.