METUCHEN, NJ (TIP):  Over 130 people registered for the Bay Area regional of the MoneyGram Cricket Bee held at Chabot College on July 9.

The top two winners of the first regional, answered trivia questions on Cricket to solidify their position at the finals. Nithin Valentine of Santa Clara, CA was declared second runner up, Keshava Nuggehalli of Cupertino, CA was first runner up and the Regional champion was Adil Khwaja of Santa Clara, CA.

The competition allows cricket fans to compete for prizes while sharing their knowledge of the game in an effort to win a cash prize of $10,000.

Open to those 18 and older, the contest began with regional rounds in San Francisco, will continue its tour to Dallas, Chicago, New Jersey and will conclude in Toronto, each testing participants’ general cricket knowledge. The regional contest will have two components, a written test and an oral test. In the written qualifier, contestants will be asked 35 questions. They must get at least 25 correct in order to advance to the oral round. In the oral round, the contest will be held on a miss and out basis; simply if a contestant misses the right answer, they are eliminated.

Unlike quiz shows, the Cricket Bee will be conducted so that contestants are actually competing with themselves and the question posed to them as opposed to their peers.

Cricket enthusiasts can still participate at the remaining centers in Dallas, Chicago, New Jersey, and Toronto. Contestants can register to compete in the game of their choice at www.cricketbee.com. A sample set of questions and sources will be provided for the participants.

“We are thrilled to sponsor the 2017 Cricket Bee and as always we enjoy being a part of an initiative that our customers are passionate about,” says Ivy Wisco, MoneyGram’s global marketing strategy leader. “Cricket is a sport that brings friends and loved ones around the world closer together, much like MoneyGram’s services. It’s always exciting to be a part of activities that support our South Asian communities.”

Kawan Foods serves as the powered by sponsor for the innovative event and has been deeply involved with the South Asian community through various initiatives and hopes to connect with the entire Cricketing community here in the US and Canada.

“We want to congratulate the winners of the regional contest and wish them continued success in their endeavor to win $10,000,” said Tim Tan, MD Kawan Foods.

“There was a lot of excitement and immense talent at the regional which goes to show how passionate people are about the game. Participants had an opportunity to network and interact with other cricket players and enthusiasts from various cities and I am very happy to have our first set of finalists.” said Rahul Walia, Founder of the Cricket Bee

TV Asia serves as the exclusive broadcaster for the event and has been a strong proponent of promoting Cricket in the country.

“We are so proud to be a part of the MoneyGram Cricket Bee, it’s definitely a great platform for cricket enthusiasts across the country and we are excited to see them at the finals.” said HR Shah, chairman and CEO of TV Asia and an avid cricketer himself.

The finals are slated for August 12th and are open for the public to watch. You can reserve seats by calling 848-248-4199.