'Cricket Star' arrives in UK

Last Modified: 06 Jun 2007
By: Carl Dinnen

20-year old Sukhvir Singh beat thousands of hopefuls in India to win Cricket Star, a cricket-based talent show in India.

Now he has arrived in the UK to get his prize: to play for Leicestershire. The TV show has been so successful in unearthing sporting talent that it could come here next.

Sukhvir Singh - nickname "Happy" - is the son of a bus driver from a small village in northern India.

His debut for Leicestershire's second XI was thanks to an Indian reality TV show called Cricket Star. 25,000 young indian hopefuls entered.

A squad of 11 was coached by international stars and, in time-honoured fashion, the Indian public voted to evict those they thought were less talented.

Sukhvir, a fast bowler, won. His prize was a five-month contract with Leicestershire.

There are now plans for Cricket Star to run both here and in Pakistan.

Reality TV hasn't enjoyed the smoothest of rides lately, and cricket has s had a few bumpy moments too.

So this apparently happy meeting of the two is all the more unexpected - even if Happy didn't take a wicket in his first couple of overs.