David Miller stars as USA's new Major League Cricket makes big hitting start

Major League Cricket got underway in Texas on Thursday, and the most serious attempt yet to establish a domestic competition in the United States provided all the ingredients of a modern Twenty20 league.

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Fans at the purpose built cricket stadium, just a 15-minute drive from Dallas Fort Worth airport, were decked out in the yellow shirts of the victorious home side, the Texas Super Kings, and were treated to the familiar sight of big sixes and non-stop action.

The Super Kings won by 69 runs after making 181 for six and then bowling out the Los Angeles Knight Riders for 112.

Any concerns that cricket in America might not be the real deal vanished when the action got under way and the crowd began cheering the big hitting of the home team.

The stadium previously belonged to the now defunct Texas Airhogs minor league baseball club, but since taking over the venue, MLC has spent over $20 million making it cricket-specific.

For viewers watching the TV broadcast, it would have been hard to tell the difference between MLC and the other T20 tournaments that have sprung up around the world.

With international players competing alongside domestic talent from the USA national team, the standard of play was clearly professional and the field and wicket looked up to scratch.

That was in marked contrast to many previous, short-lived attempts to "break the American market" with one-off events in unsuitable venues, and was also light years away from much of the domestic cricket, which for years was played on matting tracks.

First victory in America land ????New Super Kings is born ??#WhistlePodu #IPL #CSK #T20 pic.twitter.com/gOk4X4eAVA

Texas' South African bowler Rusty