METUCHEN, NJ (TIP): Almost 400 people registered for the New Jersey regional of the first MoneyGram Cricket Bee held at the TV Asia Studios on April 10.

The three winners of the first regional answered trivia questions on Cricket to solidify their position at the finals. Sandeep Shrivastava of Somerset, NJ was declared second runner up, Debi Prasad Mohapatra of Stamford, CT was first runner up and the Regional champion was Indrajit Sanyal of Piscataway, NJ.

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 will begin with regional rounds in New Jersey, San Francisco and 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 one the remaining two centers in San Francisco Bay Area (April 17) and Toronto (Apr 24). 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 proud to sponsor the 2016 Cricket Bee,” says Joann Chatfield, MoneyGram’s vice president of marketing. “We know that the passion for cricket unites friends and loved ones around the world and brings them closer together. It’s always exciting to be a part of initiatives that support out 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.

“Our studio was abuzz with the contestants and I was excited to see how much trivia and knowledge they had to share. 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 May 7th and are open for the public to watch. You can reserve seats by calling 732-710-4361