Somerset prepare for the new 'Twenty 20' cricket competition

In the depths of winter the thoughts of long hot summer's days watching cricket may seem to be a long way off, but in reality the new season is now less than one hundred days away.

At Somerset County Cricket Club discussions are taking place for the introduction of the new twenty over competition that will be introduced for the first time in 2003 replacing the early season Benson and Hedges Cup competition.

The new `Twenty 20' cup, as the competition will be known, is to be played over a five week period that will start for Somerset on Friday June 13th when they entertain Warwickshire and will conclude with a grand finale at Lord's on Saturday July 19th when the semi finals and final will take place.

To be certain to qualify for a place at Lord's the Cidermen will be looking to finish top of their regional group that comprises of Warwickshire and Gloucestershire who they entertain at Taunton and Glamorgan, Northamptonshire and Worcestershire who they take on away from home.

The `Twenty 20'competition has been introduced by the E.C.B. with the express aim of making cricket more attractive to a much wider audience, and the format of the matches and the atmosphere is expected to attract many families who it is hoped will enjoy the carnival atmosphere.

Membership secretary Jo Arnold told me: "This is a totally new competition and we want to make each of the matches that we are hosting here at the County Ground extra special. In addition to the action that will be taking place on the field we are planning a lot of other entertainment around the ground."

Jo Arnold continued: "We are aiming to create the same sort of atmosphere for `Twenty 20' that we have here for the floodlit games even though they will be played in daylight. We want to attract families and groups to come along and make the match a real evening's entertainment."

`Twenty 20' will be played in coloured clothing with the basic rules of cricket applying although there will be some specific rules introduced regarding `no balls' and other aspects of the game.

Matches get underway at 5.30pm and will conclude at 8.15pm, with a fifteenminute break between the innings.

Somerset members will gain free entry to `Twenty 20' whilst the paying public will be charged £6 for adults and £3 for children under sixteen.