In college football Auburn University is ranked # 2, in college cricket they are # 13 but this weekend can Auburn win the American College Cricket Southeast Championship convincingly enough to be # 1 in cricket?

Cricket stadium in Florida.

The UF Gators, the Miami ‘Canes, FIU Panthers, UCF Knights, USF Bulls, UT Spartans and Auburn Tigers cricket club teams will take the field at the only Cricket Stadium in the USA & Canada beginning with a night game Friday. Purdue University Boilermakers defeated Ohio State Buckeyes for the E Gordon Gee Trophy in the Midwest, Rutgers got the title vs NYU-Poly in the Northeast and North Carolina State won vs George Mason at the Mid Atlantic Championship.

FIRST CENTURY, 133
USF and UMiami have participated in the 2009 and 2010 American College Cricket Spring Break Championships for the national title. USF was a Finalist in 2009 and reached the final four in 2010, and their experience will surely give them an edge.USF Captain Harsha Boddepali, a PhD candidate, has the highest score and the first century in American College Cricket, 133 which he smashed at the 2010 national Championship, against the “U”.

PRESIDENT’S AWARD FOR ‘CANES

The Miami Hurricanes will be looking to avenge that beating by Boddepalli and the USF Bulls, and can be proud of their strong performance against the visiting University of the West Indies, special Guests at the 2010 Spring Break Championship. The U will be led by Shahaan Razack and include Kalpesh Patel, who put the UM team together in 2009 and played a key role in the beginning of American College Cricket.

Shahaan Razack reported for AmericanCollegeCricket.com when the New Zealand and Sri Lankan Cricket teams played at the CBRP Stadium earlier this year. The University of Miami Cricket also won the President’s Award earlier this year athletes from a non-cricket background into the game.

CHANDERPAUL MEETS NEW TEAMS

However the new teams of the University of Florida, University of Central Florida, University of Tampa and Florida International University have been practicing hard in recent weeks. The teams might be recently formed but some of the players are experienced and talented. Ricky Nayyar of UF, Sai Ramesh of UCF, Kaushal Vaddiraj of UT, and Phani Kiran Vabbina of FIU are a few of the many players to watch.

Sai Ramesh, was a top performer at last March’s American College Cricket Championship and one of the best allrounders in Florida’s non-collegiate cricket leagues this year. Ramesh played for USF but transferred to UCF where he was motivated by American College Cricket President Lloyd Jodah to start a team. Ramesh, UF’s Krishna Dase and other UCF & UF students then had the privilege of meeting Shiv Chanderpaul.

GETTING THE PITCH RIGHT
Accomplished curator Sam Plummer has been brought in to prepare the turf pitch at the Stadium. The college cricketers are ecstatic at the opportunity to play in what they are calling “American College Cricket Stadium”. A true “Field of Dreams” the Stadium at Central Broward Regional Park is in constant danger of being lost to cricket and it was the 2009 American College Cricket Championship which brought the New York Times to do a story and video that highlighted the Stadium, resulting in worldwide positive attention.

The 2010 Championship was also held at the Stadium and the 2011 American College Cricket Championship will utilize the Stadium for 5 days. The Stadium is now the Home of American College Cricket, and as a result now has a much stronger position than it otherwise would.

AMERICAN COLLEGE CRICKET & BIG LEAGUE USA

Now American College Cricket with its strategic partner BIG League USA is continuing the efforts in support of the CBRP Stadium. Simultaneous with the Southeast Championship the BIG Broward Cricket League, and BIG Broward Cricket Academy will be launched on Nov 6th, 2010 by BIG League USA. There will be live entertainment, food etc with CBRP Manager Duncan Finch, BIG League USA CEO Salman Ahmed, American College Cricket VP Nino DiLoreto and President Lloyd Jodah, as well as local cricketers, college cricketers and other guests.

The American College Cricket Southeast Championship begins Nov 5th, Friday Night under Lights, a match between USF and the University of Tampa. Games will be played Saturday, with the Finals on Sunday Nov 7th at 1 pm

Stadium FRIDAY 11/05 at 7 pm

USF  vs U of Tampa

Stadium -SAT 11/06 – games starting at 8 am, 11.15 & 2.30 pm                            Brian Piccolo Field (Matting wicket) –
Games start at 10 am
FIU vs  UF                                                                                                           UCF   vs USF

FIU vs Auburn                                                                                                      U of Tampa   vs UMiami

Auburn vs UCF

Stadium-SUN 11/07 – games start at 9 am
UF vs UMiami

FINALS          start at 1 pm