SCB Named Principal Sponsor of Inaugural Samoa Franchise Festival

Samoa Cricket is proud to announce Samoa Commercial Bank (SCB) as the Principal Sponsor of the inaugural Samoa Franchise Festival (SFF), which gets underway tomorrow at the SICA Grounds.

The new partnership brings together Samoa Commercial Bank and Samoa Cricket in support of an exciting new initiative designed to provide high-quality competition and development opportunities for Samoa's emerging cricketers.

The Samoa Franchise Festival will bring together Under-19 pathway players, emerging talent from Samoa and experienced players from Samoa and overseas in a franchise-style competition featuring T20 and T10 cricket.

For Samoa Cricket, the festival is an important part of preparations for the Under-19 World Cup Qualifiers, which take place the following week.

A Major Week for Samoa Cricket

The Samoa U19 squad will use the festival as an important final preparation opportunity ahead of the World Cup Qualifiers.

The competitive environment will allow the players to test their skills under pressure, build confidence and sharpen their decision-making before stepping onto the international stage.

At the same time, the festival provides an important opportunity for emerging talent in Samoa to lock heads with experienced players.

Players will have the chance to compete alongside and against cricketers with experience in New Zealand and at international level, providing valuable exposure to the demands of high-performance cricket.

The festival is another step in Samoa Cricket's commitment to developing a stronger pathway from emerging talent through to representative and international cricket.

Three Teams, Four Days of Cricket

Three franchise teams will compete throughout the festival: SICA AFI, SICA GALU and SICA MAUGA.

The teams will feature a mixture of emerging and experienced players, including marquee players Noah Mead, Kurtis Hynam-Nyberg and Darren Roach.

The three teams will be coached by Fereti Sululoto, Perelini Mulitano and Taalili Iosefo, supported by members of the wider Samoa Cricket coaching group.

Each team will play a double round-robin, with matches taking place on Saturday, Monday and Tuesday before the tournament culminates in the Samoa Franchise Festival Final on Wednesday morning.

Festival Schedule

The first matches get underway tomorrow, Saturday 29 August: 9:30am (T20) and 2:30pm (T10).

The competition continues on Monday 31 August and Tuesday 1 September, before the Samoa Franchise Festival Final at 9:30am on Wednesday 2 September.

The combination of T20 and T10 cricket will challenge players to adapt their game across two of the shortest formats and provide an exciting spectacle for supporters.

SCB Supporting the Future of Samoa Cricket

Samoa Cricket is delighted to have Samoa Commercial Bank supporting the inaugural Samoa Franchise Festival as Principal Sponsor.

SCB's support is an important contribution towards creating opportunities for players to compete, develop and showcase their talent in a high-performance environment.

The partnership reflects the importance of collaboration between Samoa Cricket and the wider Samoan community in building opportunities for the next generation.

Samoa Cricket also acknowledges the valuable support of our festival partners. Principal Sponsor: Samoa Commercial Bank (SCB). Festival Partners: Sign Studio, SSAB and PGI.

We thank all of our sponsors and partners for supporting the inaugural Samoa Franchise Festival and helping make this new initiative possible.

Follow the Action Live

Cricket supporters in Samoa and around the world can follow the action throughout the festival. All Samoa Franchise Festival matches will be available to follow live on CricClubs.

With the Under-19 World Cup Qualifiers just around the corner, emerging players looking to make their mark, and some experienced talent taking the field, the inaugural Samoa Franchise Festival promises to be a significant week for Samoa Cricket.

The first ball is bowled tomorrow morning.