Minecraft has long been a world in which anything is possible. Whether you're building a lovely little house or going to Cambridge University, Microsoft's blocky universe is, for many, the original and best sandbox.
So, given you can make anything your heart desires, a group of young Minecraft fans came together to create a space-age cricket stadium in collaboration with The Hundred, the UK's 100-ball cricket tournament designed to make the game more interesting to folks who can't be bothered to sit around for days on end waiting for the rain to call the match a draw.
It's a hugely impressive venture and is currently the only fan-built cricket ground on Minecraft. So, you'd best get yours started if you want to compete with the Space Bowl!
click to enlargeThe Hundred Fans Build Giant Cricket Stadium in Minecraft
Ten children sent in their designs to a judging panel including Issy Wong, Birmingham Phoenix and England fast-medium bowler, along with some senior members of The Hundred staff. Some pretty discerning eyes, then.
It's turned out pretty nicely - the entrants, aged between seven and 16, all had unique ideas for the stadium design, all of which have been incorporated into the final Space Bowl. From a giant main stage for non-cricket performances to a rooftop garden filled with foliage and greenery, we can only hope for the technology to make this Minecraft stadium a reality.
Just put it between Earth and Mars and see how it goes. Check out the video below for a bit of an overview of the stadium, and you can download it to explore it yourself here. You can even see the blueprints for the Space Bowl, showing the future architects' ideas in their original iterations.
Judge and professional cricketer Issy Wong commented on the competition, saying: "It’s been fantastic to see the levels of creativity from this competition. We’ve seen submissions beyond our wildest expectations and the final build truly is a blockbuster cricket stadium."
The parents of the designers seem delighted with the results of the 1.3 million block building project, with one saying: "We’re thrilled that Samuel’s design was chosen as one of the winners."
Congratulations to Samuel and all the winners of the competition. I'll definitely start attending cricket matches more regularly when the stadiums begin including rollercoasters, disco lights, and a moat filled with turtles and dolphins.
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