A NEW cricketing knock-out competition gets underway in York later this week.

Eight teams will be competing for the Post Office Challenge Trophy, which goes up for grabs at Clifton Park, Shipton Road, tomorrow, starting at 10.30am.

Teams entered for the tournament include a Lord's Barbarians Xl, a team from the Professional Cricketers' Association, a Cricinfo Xl, a Post Office team and a combined York and Clifton Alliance Xl.

The first round losers will be entered into a plate competition with each innings consisting of ten overs, except the finals which will be contested over 15 overs per side.

Each team is permitted to play up to four professional or guest players.

The competition is being staged to highlight a new two year sponsorship of the Association of Cricket Umpires and Scorers' programme to raise training standards. Test umpire John Holder will be standing in the final of the main Challenge Trophy event.

Updated: 12:01 Thursday, September 06, 2001