Twenty20 world cup in South Africa, some bright spark suggested a tough and similar competition for the counties. Twenty20 was born, and it hasn't looked back. Now its move from hit-and-giggle for amateurs to serious international format is complete, with the World Twenty20 in South Africa. 1. Pithiness or Shortness of Time Pithiness or Shortness of Time or Brevity, of course, is the soul of game. And while the World Cup shuffle witlessly on for what seemed like millennia but was in fact a mere seven weeks, the World Twenty20 is put to bed within a fortnight. Even the most passionate cricket fan was sick of the World Cup long before its fittingly inept conclusion in the Barbados gloom, but there's little danger of that happening here. 2. Unpredictability With only 16 international Twenty20 matches played before this event, no team has yet been able to display the dominance that the Aussies have exerted for the last decade in Test and 50-over cricket. Indeed, no country to have played more than one Twenty20 game is unbeaten. 3. Excitement Twenty20 is often described as 50-over cricket with the dull middle overs taken out. There's plenty of truth in that, with growing evidence that the 20-over game is influencing 50-over cricket the way that game changed Tests. By compressing the game over a shorter period, Twenty20 throws up fewer one-sided games; there generally isn't time for one side to establish total control. In the 16 games to date, there has already been a tie, with another two games settled by just two runs. And even the few one-sided games are still entertaining; I'll take England beating Australia by 100 runs over any 50-over match every time. 4. New Faces The 2007 World Cup not only threw up a predictable winner, but also predictable stars. This tournament should propel some new boys to star status. The likes of Robin Utappa of India, Luke Wright of England, or Albie Morkel of South Africa and almost the entire India squad are virtually unknown outside their own countries; in a couple of weeks they could be household names. 5. Atmosphere While a combination of outrageous ticket prices and a tournament-wide clampdown on fun and enjoyment in any form left many World Cup matches played in front of half-full gloomy stadium, the organising committee here will surely not make the same mistakes. Many matches tickets were sold out within a week of tickets going on sale and, while the umpires have been told not to sex up their signals as they have in domestic Twenty20 cricket, the feeling is that spectators will be encouraged to enjoy themselves at the games. Source: Sportinglife |