Global Twenty20 tournament a possibility

The ICC is reportedly investigating the possibility of a global Twenty20 tournament after assessing research from the England and South Africa boards. Domestically, Twenty20 has been a success wherever it has been played, although critics warn that it could be a flash in the pan.

The concept was launched in England in 2003 to great public acclaim, and it has gone from strength to strength with large crowds and widespread interest. It has since spread, equally successfully, to Pakistan, South Africa and Sri Lanka, and New Zealand and Australia are running competitions this coming season.

Last month Allen Stanford, a Texas-born billionaire, announced a multi-million dollar investment in Caribbean cricket, with a regional Twenty20 tournament at the heart of the plan. Only India, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe have so far failed to embrace the format.

Signs that the ICC was warming to the concept came earlier in the month when it said that it would be holding talks about Twenty20 cricket being played at the 2010 Commonwealth Games.

And David Morgan, the ECB chairman, said that he believed the time was now right for the format to be considered globally. "There are worries on the subcontinent about how Twenty20 might damage a vibrant 50-overs game," he told the Guardian, "but I now believe there is a move to embrace it on a controlled basis."

Australia and New Zealand played the first Twenty20 international in March (although women led they way in 2004 when England played New Zealand at Hove) and this was followed by England playing Australia at Southampton in June. This Friday, South Africa take on New Zealand ahead of their one-day series.

Given the ICC's probable discomfort with the Super Series, the idea of an international Twenty20 tournament could offer them an alternative means of filling the gaps between World Cups and Champions Trophies. The format has the advantage of being TV friendly and can be played over a short period, a necessity in view of the burgeoning international calendar.