Leave 'em wanting more

Twenty20 started in England, as is the tendency with new forms of cricket, but soon received a considerable boost when Texan entrepreneur Allen Stanford invested some of his millions in the Caribbean in the format.

Then India gave the game widespread publicity, pizzazz and pull by unveiling the IPL. Now there is a planned EPL in England, and Australia is considering an upgrade to their competition; Twenty20 cricket is suddenly all the rage, just like global warming, high fuel prices and the iPhone.

What is it about Twenty20 that attracts feverish interest and substantial investment?

Firstly, the public have embraced it. Programme a match and they flock to the stadium. Secondly, in a fast-moving world it requires a comparatively short time to complete a Twenty20 game. And finally, with all the hype surrounding Twenty20, it's easy to overlook another considerable advantage - equal conditions for both teams.

In many limited-overs matches one team bats in the daylight and the other at night, and if the pitch deteriorates it hampers the team batting second. A Twenty20 match, on the other hand, is played under virtually the same conditions for the duration.

And while the game is often denigrated by being classified alongside a short stay with a prostitute, as in wham, bam, thank you ma'am, there is no better spectacle than a well played match. The thrilling World Twenty20 semi-final between India and Australia was as skilful and competitive as any 40 overs of cricket I've witnessed.

The IPL franchise system also provides Twenty20 with another huge advantage over its longer relation, the 50-over international. In theory, every IPL game is between two evenly matched sides, whereas some ODIs are the sort of mismatches that make the Iraq war appear to have been a fair fight.

For the sake of its long-term health it's important Twenty20 retains elements of a tactical battle and the thrill of a contest, with the result decided by the superior skill and thinking of one outfit on that day or night.

There's a strong temptation to be seduced by the excitement of sixes regularly flying over the ropes. There's no doubt the most thrilling and best recalled moment of the tournament in South Africa was Yuvraj Singh's brilliant six strikes in an over. Nevertheless, performances of that sort should be the exception not the rule, so that they retain the magic quality that rarity brings.

There's another good cricketing reason why administrators should keep a wary eye on the correlation between bats and boundaries. Sure, improvements in the first and the shortening of the latter can lead to more sixes, but that in turn will drastically reduce the importance placed on great fielding.

Whenever the limited-overs game is discussed, one of the first things mentioned by the fans is the excitement provided by brilliant fielding. Two of the most beloved players in recent memory are Jonty Rhodes and Andrew Symonds, and while no one would classify either as a one-dimensional cricketer, it's their fielding that first attracted the attention of the selectors and the fans.

The other reason to keep an even balance between bat and ball is to ensure the game doesn't literally become the stronghold of the "power" players. Cricket should never emulate basketball and become a game where size matters. The wristy Sunil Gavaskars of the world should occasionally be able to have their way with the gigantic Joel Garners, and likewise, the lithe Malcolm Marshalls should always be able to threaten the scone (and wicket) of a lanky Kevin Pietersen type.

In the long run the contest is the thing that keeps people coming back to watch cricket, whether it lasts five days, five hours or five overs. There's no doubt that Twenty20 is a vibrant and viable game but the crucial job the administration faces is to get the balance between game and entertainment just right.

If they want a clue they should look to the industry they've been encroaching on more and more in recent times, the entertainment business. A good comedian tries to leave 'em laughing but the smart ones also leave 'em wanting more.