Their innings might be short but Miss Alexandra Swimsuit contestants are likely to ''add some glamour'' to the pre-match entertainment at the Otago Volts twenty20 game in Alexandra in late December, organisers say.
This will be the third year of the Miss Alexandra contest but the first time it has been staged in conjunction with the cricket, which takes place at Molyneux Park on December 27.
''It's quite a big change of venue but we're hoping it'll be win-win, resulting in a bigger crowd for both events - for Miss Alexandra and the cricket,'' contest co-ordinator Melanie Bell, of Promote Alexandra, said. The Miss Alexandra contest used to be a regular holiday event but the event had not been staged for about a decade when it was revived two years ago, based at the Molyneux Aquatic Centre in Alexandra.
''There's no specific reason it's been at the pool and there's really no financial benefit with having it at the pool, so we're hoping this change of venue will have a flow-on effect for both the contest and the cricket.
''It's the first time in a while the cricket has been back at Molyneux Park, so we want to see a good crowd there, and we also hope to increase the crowd at the Miss Alexandra contest, and no doubt many will stay on to watch the cricket, '' Miss Bell said.
The event should ''add some glamour and entertainment'' before the Otago match against the Auckland Aces, she said. The contest would begin at 1pm, with contestants parading on a catwalk in front of the grandstand. The placegetters and prizegiving would be held during the half-time break in the match.
Last year 19 young women took part in the contest and Shaun Robinson, of Alexandra, was crowned the winner. Ashleigh Anderson, then living in Alexandra, was the winner winner in 2011, from 15 other hopefuls. Entries for this year's contest have opened and 10 women had already registered, Miss Bell said.
