Come 4th of July weekend, teams will be competing in the MAQ T20 tournment. (Photo by Shiek Mohamed)

New York City is the epicenter of American sports history. Baseball’s first officially recorded game between the Knickerbockers and the New York Nine was played in June of 1846.  Two years earlier in 1844, NYC made its mark in the world’s sports history books by hosting the first official international cricket match between two nations – Canada and the USA. Now the stage is set for another historic cricket event.

The MAQ T20 New York Cricket Tournament will be played this 4th of July Weekend July 3 – 4, 2010 at Canarsie Park (80th Street), Brooklyn and Idlewild Park (223rd Street), Queens.  The best cricketers in the expansive New York Cricket Region of the United States of America Cricket Association will celebrate America’s Birthday Weekend by competing for the Tournament’s Championship Trophy, Cash Prizes and qualification spots in the prestigious 2010 U.S. Cricket Open to be held in December.

All cricket matches are OPEN TO THE PUBLIC and ADMISSION is FREE thanks to the Tournament Sponsors, T20 Energy Drinks and Sam’s Food Stores, in concert with Cricket Council USA, a sports and entertainment management company.  Cricket fans in the New York metropolitan area will have the opportunity to witness two days of high profile T20 cricket. American Cricket League, Brooklyn Cricket League, Bangladesh Cricket Association, Commonwealth Cricket League, Eastern American Cricket Association, Metropolitan Cricket League, Nassau NY Cricket Association and New York Cricket League will all participate in this historic tournament, which will be contested by teams from the largest cricket-playing region in the USA.

The New York Cricket Region (NYCR) will serve as host for the festivities of the MAQ T20 New York Cricket Tournament. The preliminary rounds are scheduled to be played at Canarise Park (80th Street), Brooklyn and and Idlewild Park (223rd Street), Queens on Saturday July 3rd. The finals will be held at Idlewild Park on Sunday July 4, 2010.

On Friday evening, July 2nd, Cricket Council USA and Sam’s Food Store officials will meet and greet the representatives from the competing teams and attending dignitaries at the Big Apple Golden Circle Welcome Reception to be held at Doors Restaurant-16307 Baisley Boulevard, Queens, NY at 5:00pm.

Officials from NYCR, T20 Energy Drinks and Sam’s Food Stores will award the Championship Trophy and $5000 in prize money.  The New York Cricket Region will be invited to the US Cricket Open, being hosted by CCUSA later this year.