SoCal Lashings

The SoCal Lashings, also known as the Los Angeles Lashings, are an American professional Twenty20 franchise cricket team that competes in Minor League Cricket (MiLC) and other T20 Cricket tournaments across the USA. The team's home base is in Los Angeles. Lashings was named in 2020 as part of the 24 original teams to compete in Minor League Cricket USA.[1] The franchise is co-owned by Abhimanyu Rajp and Deepak Gosain.[2]

SoCal Lashings
LeagueMinor League Cricket
ConferenceWestern Division (Pacific Conference)
Personnel
CaptainDale Phillips
OwnerAbhimanyu Rajp
Deepak Gosain
Team information
CityLos Angeles, California, USA
Colours  Purple, and   Gold.
Founded2020 (2020)
Home groundLeo Magnus Cricket Complex
Capacity5,000

The team's current home ground is the Leo Magnus Cricket Complex, located in the neighborhood of Van Nuys, Los Angeles.[3] Dale Phillips currently helms responsibility as captain, with Elmore Hutchinson standing by as vice-captain.[4]

Franchise history

Background

Talks of an American Twenty20 league started in November 2018 just before USA Cricket became the new governing body of cricket in the United States.[5][6] In May 2021, USA Cricket announced they had accepted a bid by American Cricket Enterprises (ACE) for a US$1 billion investment covering the league and other investments benefitting the U.S. national teams.[7]

In an Annual General Meeting on February 21, 2020, it was announced that USA Cricket was planning to launch Major League Cricket in 2021 and Minor League Cricket that summer,[8] but it was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic[9] and due to the lack of high-quality cricket stadiums in the USA.[10] Major League Cricket was pushed to a summer-2023 launch[11] and Minor League Cricket was pushed back to July 31, 2021.[12]

USA Cricket CEO Iain Higgins also pointed out cities such as New York City, Houston and Los Angeles with a large cricket fanbase, and targeted them among others as launch cities for Minor League Cricket.[13]

Exhibition league

In July 2020, the player registration for the Minor League Cricket exhibition league began.[14] On August 15, 2020, USA Cricket announced the teams participating in the exhibition league matches, also listing the owners for each team.[15] The draft for the exhibition league began on August 22, 2020,[16] with the Lashings releasing their squad on August 24.[17] Abhimanyu Rajp was later named as captain for the Los Angeles Lashings for the exhibition league.[17]

Minor League Cricket
See also: 2021 Minor League Cricket season § Pacific Conference

2021: After the conclusion of the exhibition league, USA Cricket announced that they were planning to launch the inaugural season of Minor League Cricket in spring 2021.[18] Ahead of the official season, which was announced to kick off on July 31,[19] the Lashings announced former USA National Team member Abhimanyu Rajp to continue his role as captain with Elmore Hutchinson helming vice-captain duties.[4]

In their first match of the season, the Lashings defeated the Surf Riders by 4 wickets in a last-over thriller.[20] They then went on to lose to the Blazers and to the Grizzlies, but came back to win against the Strikers by 4 wickets the following week.[21] They then went on a 8-game losing streak, losing to the Strikers, the Grizzlies, the Blazers, the Thunderbolts twice, the Athletics, the Mustangs, and the Hurricanes[22][23][24][25] before winning against the Surf Riders and the Master Blasters to end out the group stage.[26][27] The Lashings finished out in 5th place, thus failing to qualify for the play-offs.

2022: Ahead of the 2022 season, Major League Cricket announced that the draft for that season would take place on May 12.[28] Dale Phillips took over the Captain's responsibility in 2022 season, along with Katene Clarke signed as the overseas recruits for the year.

2023: Lashings finished one win away from qualifying for the playoffs in their third season.[29]

Current squad
  • Players with international caps are listed in bold.
Name Nationality Batting style Bowling style Year signed Notes
Dale Phillips New ZealandRight-handedRight-arm off break2022Overseas
Katene Clarke New ZealandRight-handedRight-arm off break2022Overseas
Marcus Stewart United StatesRight-handedRight-arm fast medium2021
Shamsher Singh CanadaRight-handedRight-arm fast medium2021Overseas
Shiva Vashishat United StatesRight-handedN/A2021
Abhimanyu Rajp United StatesRight-handedRight-arm off break2021
Harpreet Singh United StatesLeft-handedRight-arm off break2021
Zohaib Ahmed PakistanRight-handedRight-arm medium2022Overseas
Elmore Hutchinson United StatesRight-handedLeft-arm fast medium2021
Ravi Timbawal United StatesRight-handedN/A2023
Mrunal Patel United StatesLeft-handedLeft-arm off spin2023
Kirstan Kallicharan Trinidad and TobagoRight-handedN/A2021Overseas
Ruben Clinton New ZealandRight-handedRight-arm off break]2021Overseas
Pranav Pragyadala United StatesRight-handedRight-arm leg break2023U17
Ayan Desai United StatesLeft-handedLeft-arm fast medium]2023U21
Deepak Gosain United StatesRight-handedN/A2021

References
  1. "Minor League Cricket Announces Franchise Owners and Draft Update". USA Cricket. August 15, 2020. Retrieved February 6, 2022.
  2. "Abhimanyu Rajp talks about co-ownership of SoCal Lashings in Minor League Cricket". Mynewsdesk. ExBulletin. August 24, 2020. Retrieved February 6, 2022.
  3. "Minor League Division Preview Series – Western". Minor League Cricket. Major League Cricket. August 1, 2021. Retrieved February 6, 2022.
  4. "Pre-Draft Selections Confirmed by 21 Minor League Cricket Teams as Draft Day Looms". USA Cricket. June 4, 2021. Retrieved February 6, 2022.
  5. Penna, Peter Della (January 8, 2019). "USA formally approved to rejoin ICC as Associate Member under USA Cricket". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved February 7, 2022.
  6. Penna, Peter Della (November 27, 2018). "USA plan to launch their T20 League in 2021". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved February 7, 2022.
  7. "USA Cricket Chooses Partner to Fund and Develop U.S.-Based Professional T20 Cricket League". USA Cricket. May 23, 2019. Retrieved February 7, 2022.
  8. "USA Cricket Board Meeting February 2020". USA Cricket. February 27, 2020. Retrieved February 7, 2022.
  9. "USA Cricket re-evaluating Major League Cricket debut timing due to Covid-19 concerns". SportBusiness. August 2, 2021. Retrieved February 7, 2022.
  10. "American Major League Cricket tournament launch pushed to 2023 at Annual General Meeting". Inside the Games. May 24, 2021. Retrieved February 7, 2022.
  11. Penna, Peter Della (May 21, 2021). "USA's MLC T20 tournament pushed back to 2023 at AGM". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved February 7, 2022.
  12. Penna, Peter Della (July 30, 2021). "Minor League Cricket: T20 league in USA kicks off with Sami Aslam, Corey Anderson in the mix". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved February 7, 2022.
  13. Penna, Peter Della (February 27, 2020). "New York, Boston, Chicago, LA among 22 targeted launch cities for USA T20 competition". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved February 7, 2022.
  14. "Minor League Cricket Announces Player Registration Opening". USA Cricket. July 7, 2020. Retrieved February 8, 2022.
  15. "Minor League Cricket Announces Franchise Owners and Draft Update". USA Cricket. August 15, 2020. Retrieved February 8, 2022.
  16. "Inaugural Minor League Cricket Draft to Take Place Today". USA Cricket. August 22, 2020. Retrieved February 8, 2022.
  17. "Minor League Cricket Draft results with 15 Squads Selected". USA Cricket. August 24, 2020. Retrieved February 8, 2022.
  18. "USA Cricket Launches Foundational Plan". USA Cricket. October 15, 2020. Retrieved February 9, 2022.
  19. "American Cricket History to be Made on Minor League Cricket Opening Weekend". Major League Cricket. USA Cricket. July 29, 2021. Retrieved February 9, 2022.
  20. "Dramatic Finishes Highlight Historic Minor League Cricket Championship Opening Weekend". Major League Cricket. USA Cricket. August 5, 2021. Retrieved February 9, 2022.
  21. "The Monday All Rounder - Week Two". Minor League Cricket. Major League Cricket. August 9, 2021. Retrieved February 9, 2022.
  22. Patel, Smit (August 16, 2021). "Minor League Cricket Week 3 Wrap: Irving Mustang's Corey Anderson". Cricbuzz. Retrieved February 9, 2022.
  23. "The Monday All Rounder - Week Four". Minor League Cricket. Major League Cricket. August 23, 2021. Retrieved February 9, 2022.
  24. "The Monday All Rounder - Week Five". Minor League Cricket. Major League Cricket. August 30, 2021. Retrieved February 9, 2022.
  25. Patel, Smit (September 9, 2021). "Minor League Cricket Week 6 Wrap: Playoffs race intensifies with 2 weekends to go". Cricbuzz. Retrieved February 9, 2022.
  26. "The Monday All Rounder - Week Seven". Minor League Cricket. Major League Cricket. September 13, 2021. Retrieved February 9, 2022.
  27. Madhavaram, Ravinder (September 23, 2021). "Minor League Cricket Week 8: Rovman Powell hits 38-ball 71". Cricbuzz. Retrieved February 9, 2022.
  28. "Title and Presenting Partners Announced for 2022 Minor League Cricket Championship". Minor League Cricket. Major League Cricket. May 5, 2022. Retrieved May 10, 2022.
  29. "HOMETOWN DALLAS MUSTANGS WIN 2023 SUNOCO MINOR LEAGUE CRICKET CHAMPIONSHIP – Minor League Cricket News". news.minorleaguecricket.com. Retrieved October 18, 2023.
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