The start of the Vitality T20 Blast, on Wednesday, June 9, will also see the inaugural competition in The Cricket Draft, an all-new, ground-breaking fantasy game.

You can sign up to the game now, with prizes provided by New Balance and the game created in partnership with the PCA. While the game is simple enough to pick up, the rules and regulations are available below.

Team make-up

Your team must contain at least four batsmen, one all-rounder, one wicketkeeper and four bowlers. That leaves one slot spare for either another batsman or another all-rounder. You are allowed to pick a wicketkeeper as a specialist batsman, but if they are chosen in a T20 Blast XI as a wicketkeeper, you won’t get any fielding points for their exploits behind the stumps. If a player picked in your XI doesn’t play during a gameweek, they will be substituted for another player capable of filling their position who has played during the week, if one is available.

Captaincy

Your selected captain will earn double points. If your captain doesn’t play during a gameweek, the captaincy will transfer to your vice-captain, who will earn double points instead. If neither your captain or vice-captain plays in a given gameweek, your highest value player selected in the XI will be made captain. Our captaincy tips are available here.

Squad rules

Your squad must include at least 15 players, and there’s no upper limit for how many players your squad can contain. Your squad can include a maximum of three players from any one club.

Transfers

You can make up to two free transfers in each gameweek, and a maximum of five in total each gameweek. Each transfer that isn’t one of your free transfers will incur a 50-point penalty. While the value of a player could change over the course of a season, when transferring a player out, the value at which you bought them will be reimbursed to your total budget, rather than their current value.

If wishing to reverse a transfer, simply add the player back to your squad. This won’t be counted towards your gameweek transfer limits. You can make unlimited changes to your squad before gameweek 1 starts.

Gameweeks

The gameweeks will run as follows:

Gameweek 1: June 9-12

Gameweek 2: June 13-16

Gameweek 3: June 17-20

Gameweek 4: June 21-25

Gameweek 5: June 26-July 1

Gameweek 6: July 2-9

Gameweek 7: July 16-18

Gameweek 8: August 24-28

Gameweek 9: September 18

Points scoring

Points are scored in the following manner:

Batting

Each run: 1 point

Each six: 3 points

30+ run bonus: 10 points

50+ run bonus: 25 points

100+ run bonus: 30 points

Strike rate > 120 (>30 runs): 10 points

Duck: -25 points

Bowling

Each wicket: 30 points

3 wicket bonus: 15 points

4 wicket bonus: 25 points

5+ wicket bonus: 30 points

+12 an over across 2 overs or more: -25 points

Fielding

Each catch: 10 points

Each stumping: 25 points

Each run out: 25 points

Leagues

You can create public and private leagues, while you will also be added to leagues for the county you support and the club you play for, if you wish. You will also be included in the global league, and your gameweek league, referring to the first gameweek after you join, and so the first for which your team is active and scoring points.

Prizes

1st prize: Engraved New Balance bat and a pair of New Balance trainers

2nd and 3rd prize: A pair of New Balance trainers

Club prize: The cricket club league with the highest average score (min. 11 players) will win 15 shirts designed with the New Balance Kit Builder

Play The Cricket Draft, powered by Wisden here.