Twenty20, this is really all we hear about in cricket at the moment, it's become a kind of OCD within the sport...must talk about T20, must see if there is a game of T20 on, must invest my entire life savings in T20, must...you get the idea. But why is it this is fast becoming the most popular version of the game? Or is Test cricket still No1 and I'm just being a pessimistic fool? Whatever your opinion or view it is clear it is here to stay and obvious that this once gimmicky version of a Divine sport has given the traditionalists a kick up the backside and a wet finger in the ear.
It can't have escaped any one's attention this week of the ECB's new plans to stage a 'Champions League' event for the top two teams from South Africa, India (IPL), Australia and the county scene in England. This would mean the winners and runners up of our domestic T20 competition will go on to play in the champions league for the chance to win 2 sackfuls of money. The runners up will receive 2 sackfuls of hair shaved from the rear legs of scarce and endangered snow leopards...although this runners up prize does still need to be confirmed, the Back Foot Punch mole was a little unsure of it's accuracy.
I guess once the IPL took off, which was inevitable really, as money really does talk, T20 was going to start becoming a high stakes focus for the game. Unfortunately you just can't argue with big bank rollers like Sir Allan Stanford, who if they put their mind (by this I mean wallet) to it they really will succeed (by this I mean ruin years of tradition) I have just seen an interview with him on the telly and they say he has had a long love affair with cricket, but I don't feel it has been an intimate relationship in which he has ploughed hours of his time and attention to, rather he fancied a quick slap and tickle in the rear of his Cadillac. Although he did have a T20 badge (which I am wondering if he 'designed' himself with some crayons) sewn onto his blazer, so he must know what he is talking about.
But it is big stakes now, with £500,000 for each of the winning players in the Stanford funded England vs West Indies XI. A similar life changing amount of money for the champions league winners. This is great and hopefully some loyal and hard grafting county players will get the chance to earn some of this, but I guess the question is not of money but of loyalty and it will be interesting to see how players who have been playing in the IPL will choose between their county or state and their franchise team. We will see.
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