Justin Vaughan calls for more Twenty20 matches

Justin Vaughan, New Zealand Cricket's chief executive, has said that the success of the ICC World Twenty20 in South Africa could prompt the ICC to change its policy on the game and allow cricket boards to organise more such games in a year. Concerns over player burnout had forced the ICC to restrict teams from playing more than three Twenty20 games in a season and seven in a year.

"I dare say that, after the success of this present tournament and the promotion of the game over the past few months, those restrictions may well change," Vaughan told the Sunday Star Times. "We're already seeing proof that Twenty20's not only more exciting for the fans, but also that it's less arduous on the players - so I can see no reason why we shouldn't start talking about staging more games and maybe including features such as double-headers."

Speaking on his return from South Africa, Vaughan said he was impressed with how financially viable Twenty20 is and that the demand for more such games would only increase.

"I believe we have to be mindful of what the customer wants, rather than trying to prescribe to people what form of cricket they should be watching," he said. "My position is that, if crowds want to turn up and watch Twenty20 cricket, it's incumbent on us - as an administration - to invest in the product and serve it up hot."

On promoting the game on the domestic front, Vaughan said it was important to continue talks with Cricket Australia in launching a proposed Trans-Tasman Twenty20 competition where the top two qualifying teams will compete with teams from the Indian, African and European leagues for the Champions Twenty20 tournament.

Stephen Fleming, who recently quit the New Zealand captaincy, has signed up for the Indian Premier League (IPL) an officially-sanctioned domestic Twenty20 competition to be held in India in April 2008 featuring franchised teams. Vaughan said it wouldn't affect his availability for the tour of England in May.