The Twenty20 Cup in England

[luckyeddie]

Twenty20 looks a decent idea...just too short. You can't value your wicket and players are often out quickly because they have to score straight off. Also a run a ball often isn't good enough! I'm watching Worcestershire vs Gloustershire and the number of poor shots being played because of the pressure of scoring reminds me of watching bowling pins just as the bowler releases the bowling ball. They really don't have much of a chance...

Give it time. The most important aspect at present is the fact that the games are being played in front of huge crowds - 3 or 4 times as many as B&H group games. Now that's not going to leave a nasty taste in anyone's mouth.

Face it, the biggest problem from an England perspective in ODI's has always been the last 20 overs. What better way of practicing that than to have games where you JUST have the last 20 overs?

Me, I just can't wait for Thursday when I'm going to watch Derbyshire against Notts. Bouncy castle here I come!

 

[PY]

the number of poor shots being played because of the pressure of scoring reminds me of watching bowling pins just as the bowler releases the bowling ball.

I think that's what makes this competition good, with time people will improve under this pressure (though not the people who count i.e. the England ODI side) and being able to cope with pressure will stand them in good stead for all other forms of the game as all involve pressure.

Can't for the life of me explain why it's been done so none of the international side gets to play in this. Just hope the potential younger players get used to pressure and bring that through in future.

 

[marc71178]

From what I've heard it has been a great success, with lots of people going - I guess the weather has helped!

 

[luckyeddie]

Just looking to see whether Essex are going to be penalised over bowling rate - I reckon their time's up with an over and 2 balls to go (Azhar's peppering the car park, so maybe there'll be an allowance for that)

 

[Craig]

To be fair the above could happen, but theres two things you need to remember here

1/ It's not a new Comp, it's replacing the B&H Cup so players would be playing anyway therfore could have got injuries.

2/ With the need to score quickly and consistantly, therefore the English players will qain much needed pratcie in uping the scoring rate which they struggle in the ODI and it was said England had one of the worse 4/6's % in the game, so this will help. But probley the major point is that the guys will lean new shots / deliveries (in effort to score / prevent runs) which can only be a good thing if they take them onto International level.

I never supported the B & H Cup. I could not imagine a competition supported by a ciggerette company that promotes cardiovascular disease and yet is supporting a cricket which is always trying to get people into the sport???

 

[Neil Pickup]

I never supported the B & H Cup. I could not imagine a competition supported by a ciggerette company that promotes cardiovascular disease and yet is supporting a cricket which is always trying to get people into the sport???

That's not the issue. Fixture congestion/burnout is.

Agreed, you've got to be three stumps short of a wicket to smoke, but I fail to see how the previous sponsors of the previous competition have anything to do with the Twenty20 being bad for English Cricket?

 

[luckyeddie]

I never supported the B & H Cup. I could not imagine a competition supported by a ciggerette company that promotes cardiovascular disease and yet is supporting a cricket which is always trying to get people into the sport???

Product placement. Tobacco sponsorship is, of course, illegal now in sports (just F1 left) - and rightly so.

The public didn't exactly support the B&H Cup anyway - certainly the group games I went to in April or May in the past anyway (most popular areas of the ground were near the hot food stalls).

Twenty20 is different - the emphasis is on the cricket as pure entertainment (I'll let you know more after I've been to a game next week).

 

[Langeveldt]

Having been to both B+H matches and Twenty20 cup, i can comfortably say that the latter was far far more enjoyable...

I heard a number of people at the county ground today saying they didnt like the idea, but have since been converted after watching on Friday night...

 

[Rich2001]

The public didn't exactly support the B&H Cup anyway - certainly the group games I went to in April or May in the past anyway (most popular areas of the ground were near the hot food stalls).

Twenty20 is different - the emphasis is on the cricket as pure entertainment (I'll let you know more after I've been to a game next week).

I think the reason why the B&H was so umpopular was like you say held mostly in the April period where it's the hight of the rain season! - I recall a couple of seasons back I went to 3 B&H matches in the space of a week or so and got to see about 40 overs of cricket out of a possible 300 and we ended up being eliminated after only getting in 2 complete matches, where others managed to get a near full alottment.

Also it's no real difference to the standard NCL matches that are around week in week out and the C&G comp for that matter.

 

[Bazza]

Yes there was too much one day cricket in hindsight. It was a nice idea to have a bit of everything - a league, a tournament which starts with groups then goes into knockouts and finally a straight knouckout tournament including the minor counties and fringe players, but overall three tournaments was probably too much.

I think this could work well. Now I'm home form uni I'm looking forward to giving it a watch for the first time tonight. Cricket every night of the week? Yes please!

 

[Rich2001]

I think this could work well. Now I'm home form uni I'm looking forward to giving it a watch for the first time tonight. Cricket every night of the week? Yes please!

Same here Bazza, iam on holiday from work this week and couldn't blieve my luck when I saw there was cricket on every day

 

[Rich2001]

I give up!

D Fulton has been with the Sky team for two matches so got a good inside view of the Comp and gather ideas of how to play the game.....

So what does he do, yep that's right with the fielding forced to stay in for the first 6 overs, he opens the bowling with the spinner :rolleyes: - Who was quite rightly carted all over the place

So Fulton see's sense and takes Treadwells out of the attack, to bring in yep that's right another spinner :rolleyes: , who's now being carted around even more than Treadwell .... But finally some sanity with Ealham being introduced

 

[Bazza]

Well you had the last laugh. When I saw Symonds had made 96* I thought he might have faced 60-70 balls, but it was actually around half that. An innings bordering on the riciculous, and we got pasted.

I bet Alan Mullally's never gone for 21 in three overs before let alone one!!

 

[Craig]

Well there was 10,000 people (I am told) for the first game between Surrey and Middlesex at The Oval. that is a good start. If it keeps bringing the money in the better. Looks like my opinions could be turned into mud

 

[Rich2001]

Well you had the last laugh. When I saw Symonds had made 96* I thought he might have faced 60-70 balls, but it was actually around half that. An innings bordering on the riciculous, and we got pasted.

I bet Alan Mullally's never gone for 21 in three overs before let alone one!!

Mate after you was about 77/1 from about 7 Overs I nearly gave up hope that you would score a massive amount of runs, espically with a rookie in Dennington still to bowl and well the batting has been poor for us all season...

But Symonds is just a freak! this game was designed for him - Lets hope for more of the same next game

Well there was 10,000 people (I am told) for the first game between Surrey and Middlesex at The Oval. that is a good start. If it keeps bringing the money in the better. Looks like my opinions could be turned into mud

Well I read that 6,000 fans turned up for our match vs Hampshire and that's at our 4th choice ground! - I expect a massive support when the guys return to Canterbury to take on the form team Surrey next Monday.

Elsewhere, 8,000 were at the opening match at the Rose Bowl for Hampshire vs Sussex, there was a large support at cardiff for the Glamorgan / Northants game as well... So everything seems to be going well.

 

[Langeveldt]

There was about 6,000 at Taunton (capacity)

 

[marc71178]

Well there was 10,000 people (I am told) for the first game between Surrey and Middlesex at The Oval. that is a good start. If it keeps bringing the money in the better. Looks like my opinions could be turned into mud

I think they offered free entry, so it own't bring much in!

Having said that, if it encourages people back to Cricket, it's a success no matter who wins.

 

[Craig]

So the ground at Taunton is not very big. So are you a Hampshire man Rich?

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

I bet Alan Mullally's never gone for 21 in three overs

I'm certain that he has.

 

[marc71178]

Well Worcestershire won BRILLIANT!!!!!!!!!

They didn't last night