Speed-dating and face-painting arrive in the shires

It's back! After a phenomenally successful debut season, the Twenty20 Cup returns tomorrow for its much-anticipated encore. All around the counties, open-collared shirts will be the order of the fortnight, as the committeemen throw off their ties and blazers, and throw open the gates to embrace the masses.

Last year, Twenty20 cricket was greeted with initial scepticism, but the response of the British public and the world at large has been phenomenal. More than 80,000 tickets for this year's competition have been sold in advance, while the success of South Africa's PRO20 tournament, and the stirrings of a professional league in the USA are clear evidence that the format is here to stay.

More than anything else, it was the onfield action that made last year's tournament such a success - contrary to many expectations, the three-hour, 40-over format really did produce thrilling entertainment, and not at the expense of cricket's core values either. But that has not stopped the counties from once again pulling out the stops with their sideshows. To last year's face-painting, bouncy castles and pitch-side jacuzzis, this year we can add that most 21st century of phenomenons - speed-dating - as well as a host of other wacky crowd-pleasing schemes.

At Durham, the players will need to watch what they say in the post-match press conferences. Although the media will be attending, the only people who will be permitted to ask questions will be children. On the face of it, that might appear to be the easy option, but when Sven-Goran Eriksson took part in a similar stunt prior to the European Championships, he was repeatedly asked whether he was about to take over the management at Chelsea. By the end of that, trial by tabloid seemed a far preferable option.

Last year, the competition was blessed with glorious weather, and that has clearly lodged in the memories of many of the committeemen. Essex, Glamorgan, Hampshire and Worcestershire have all come up with the "beach on the boundary" idea, with cocktails, hot tubs and limbo-dancing on offer. Glamorgan, in fact, have hedged their bets on the weather, with their "beanie or bikini" competition encouraging the fans to turn up in beachor ski-wear, depending, presumably, on the overhead conditions.

Even the old duffers at Lord's are getting in on the act. On July 15, they will be hosting their very first Twenty20 match - Middlesex v Surrey - after being refused planning permission for floodlights last year. But who knows what the MCC members will make of it all. For the first time ever, flags, banners and fancy dress will be permitted inside the hallowed ground, while (perhaps in recognition of the efforts of Michael Vaughan's England team) the indoor school will be taken over by the PlayStation generation, where a new cricket game will be available for those idle thumbs among the crowd.

Leicestershire and Worcestershire will both be shelling out prizes if the spectators manage not to shell their catches. At New Road, £1000 will be on offer if anyone can cling on to a six, although at Grace Road, they are being slightly presumptious about the type of person who will do so - the successful fielder will take home a year's supply of lager. At Headingley, however, the ball will be arriving from the sort of height to unnerve even the boldest of outfielders - it will be parachuted into the ground by the RAF Falcons.

And then, of course, there's the speed-dating, as pioneered by Worcestershire and Warwickshire, who are even putting one of their own up for grabs. The left-arm seamer, Neil Carter, will be joining 20 other local guys and gals, who will have until a wicket falls to size up their opposition. Meanwhile Glamorgan are running a competition to find the most eligible bachelor and bachelorette in Cardiff.

It may not quite be cricket, but it all promises to be entertaining nonetheless.