In commemoration of the Eastern Counties Cricket Association's 100th year in existence, the association will be staging a modified version of the Hong Kong Sixes under the lights at the National Sports Centre on Friday, July 11.

A junior version of the competition will commence on Saturday, July 5 at Sea Breeze Oval with the finals also to be held on July 11 at the National Sports Centre.

Representatives from Bailey's Bay, St.David's, Cleveland County and Flatts Victoria Recreational Club will take part in the tournament, fully suited up in coloured clothing.

The occasion will mark only the second time in local history that a cricket match has been played under the lights. St.David's and PHC were previously the only the only other teams to do so during the 1970's.

"This will be the first official match under the lights on a field "This will be the first official match under the lights on a field especially designed for it," said an elated Russell Richardson yesterday.

Richardson and his colleagues on the Eastern Counties Celebration Committee have been working hard for the past five years to bring the event to fruition.

"Everyone will have on their new coloured kit and each club will select two separate teams who will play in a junior and a senior competition," he added.

Each club will select eight junior players and eight senior players for the competition with the first and second placed teams at the completion of the round robin phase advancing into the finals. The third and fourth placed teams, meanwhile, will square off in the consolation final.

A points system will be in effect during the six-a-side tournament which will feature a total of 11 five-over matches under the lights.

"Everyone will be allowed to bowl except the wicketkeeper," Richardson said. "And the field will be a little smaller . . . probably about the size of Flatts Field - just to make it a bit more challenging to go after the runs."

This year's popular Eastern Counties series begins on July 18 at Lord's, St.David's. Bailey's Bay, defending champions, will take on the boys from Harris Bay, Cleveland County.