The third edition of Scorpio Speedster, the ten-city hunt for India's fastest bowler, will begin from Delhi on September 17. The popular nationwide event has now evolved into a new format that would culminate with the "Scorpio Speedster 2005" being selected from 7 final contenders through India's First Reality Cricket Show exclusively on Channel7.

The unique ten-city hunt will be organised and conducted by IMG, the world's largest sports, lifestyle and entertainment management and marketing company, with the automobile major Mahindra & Mahindra as the title sponsor.

While Canditi Foods begins its relationship with the event as the Presenting Sponsor, it will be conducted in association with Channel7. The co-sponsors for the event are Adidas and Domino's Pizza.

Appropriately named the 'Scorpio Speedster' after Mahindra & Mahindra's highly successful new generation vehicle, the event has at its very heart a dream - a dream that somewhere in this nation of one billion people, India's next speed ace lies, waiting to be discovered. The 'Scorpio Speedster' contest hopes to give that unrecognised talent, a platform to achieve national, and ultimately international recognition.

Mr. Andrey Purushottam, Vice-President-Business Development, Mahindra & Mahindra, said, "Mahindra's has always endeavoured to reach out to the length & breadth of the country. Through the 'Scorpio Speedster' we continue with our national initiatives, by engaging the entire nation through this search.

The event aims to bring out the best of Indian bowlers and hone their skills to be able to perform at the national and international level. Mahindra & Mahindra has a longstanding relationship with sports in India, having produced a large number of sportsmen who have brought laurels to the nation in the world arena. We are confident that this year too we will be able to identify the budding talent, that abounds within the country"

The event will be held in Delhi on September 17/18 and then move on to Chandigarh (Sep 22/23), Jaipur (Sep 27/28), Gwalior (Oct 4/5), Lucknow (Oct 8/9), Hyderabad (Oct 15/16), Bangalore (Oct 21/22), Kolkata (Oct 29/30), Ahmedabad (Nov 5/6), and Mumbai (Nov 11/12).

The 15 semi-finalists will test their speed against each other at Mumbai, in their attempt to qualify as the final 7 contenders for the reality show on Channel7.

The regional rounds will be conducted for two days in each of the 10 cities, where all aspirants would be given a chance to bowl and the participant who bowls the fastest ball would be crowned the city's winner. The ten regional winners, the three next fastest bowlers across India, and the winner and runner-up of the 2004 edition would comprise the 15 semi-finalists. They will compete with each other and the top 7 speedsters amongst them would form the final contenders for the title.

The event then moves on to India's First Exclusive Reality Cricket Show only on Channel7, where the 7 finalists are put up together and beyond testing their speed, these bowlers are now tested for accuracy, adaptability, endurance, swing etc. When these are packaged along with the emotions, trials and tribulations, what is promised to the nation, is a fantastic cricket reality TV show, hosted by Ex-Indian Cricket Captain and Channel7 sports expert, Ajay Jadeja, along with other experts associated with the game.

This duel between the 7 bowlers would be showcased through 13 enthralling episodes on Channel7. The winner will be declared in the final episode and will be awarded a full season's training at the MRF Pace Foundation along with a cash prize of Rs 10 lakhs. The awards for this edition have been substantially enhanced from Rs 75,000 and a two-week stint at the Australian Center of Excellence, given to the winners in 2003 and 2004.