Green light for Twenty20

A formal Twenty20 competition between the states will be held next January in a rapid response to the bite-sized game's success. Cricket Australia today announced a six-match interstate tournament with each state hosting one clash between the end of next summer's Test program and the VB Series.

CA is also finalising its international fixture list for next year and the MCG has been stripped of its VB Series final, Hobart has been given a West Indies Test and Perth has a South Africa Test.

James Sutherland, the Cricket Australia chief executive, said Twenty20 had made a good first impression in trial games at Perth, Adelaide and Hobart, particularly with young people, families and females. "The Australian public has told us they love Twenty20 and we want to offer fans in each state a chance to see it," he said. "We also believe it is possible that players, once they get some experience with this new format, might learn skills that transfer to the ODI arena in the same way that skills learned in 50-over cricket have transferred to longer forms of the game."

The ICC is still determining whether Twenty20 will become an international fixture, and CA warned of the crowded calendar and its heavy commitments to the Future Tours Program. CA said an interstate final will be held, but the finer details of the competition were still being finalised.

A revamped VB finals series is planned for next year with Adelaide and Sydney given the first two finals and Brisbane the third. Melbourne has been overlooked as it is the venue for the three ICC Super Series one-day internationals between Australia and an ICC World Xl in October.