The Twenty20 revolution is all set to roll
Sussex skipper Chris Adams is certain the new Twenty20 Cup will prove to be "no-holds-barred cricket" and can't wait to get the competition rolling in the big launch-night match with local rivals Hampshire
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The televised game in front of a record-breaking party-atmosphere crowd at the Rosebowl is one of five on the opening June 13 evening of the new 20-overs-a-side competition, which replaces the Benson & Hedges Cup in the domestic calendar and promises non-stop entertainment from beginning to end.
"In this format every player can lose his inhibitions, go for it and enjoy the ride," said Adams. "The Twenty20 game is no-holds-barred cricket and we're ready to take on anyone!
"The players are going to have to completely re-think their take on the game. The key of Twenty20 cricket is to go for it."
And the counties are going for it off the field too. The Rosebowl opener will be followed by a pop concert by top bands Mis-Teeq and D'Side, with chart-toppers Atomic Kitten the big showbiz attraction at the July 19 Finals Day at Nottingham's Trent Bridge.
'Fast and furious', 'big-hitting' and 'action-packed' are just a few of the epithets the Twenty20 Cup has acquired even before the first ball has been bowled, and no doubt dispatched over mid-wicket and out of the ground for six.
As well as appealing to traditional audiences as an innovative extension of the colourful one-day National Cricket League, the Twenty20 Cup is firmly aimed at newcomers to the sport; whether pop-loving youngsters more used to Kwik Cricket, their families looking for a fun night out, or after-work office parties attracted by the competition's predominant 5.30-8.15pm timeslot (as the start of a fun night out!).
New on-pitch advances will include a hot-seat on the boundary edge for incoming batsmen (who will be timed out if they don't reach the middle within 90 seconds), and microphone links between the players and broadcasters.
Worcestershire will be playing in front of a giant Jacuzzi for sun-loving supporters at New Road, while beer gardens, in-ground pizzerias, live music, bouncy castles and fancy dress (with some specially reduced ticket prices thrown in for good measure) will become the norm as the three regional groups sprint their way through their fixtures by June 24.
As well as considerable prize money for the eventual champions, there are some hefty individual prizes up for grabs for the best batsmen and bowlers - and there is no chance that any county will be approaching the event with anything less than 100 per cent concentration and enthusiasm.
John Emburey, Middlesex's coach, typifies the approach that is pervading the counties: "I remember back in 1969 when the Sunday League was launched, old fogeys were saying one-day cricket was rubbish. But how wrong could they be?
"You won't see slogging in this new competition. If you do, they'll just get out. But you will see a lot of great improvised strokeplay and positive cricket, which has to be good for the game."
Good for the fans too, as Sussex's Adams realizes ahead of the south coast derby: "A batsman has to suspend that feeling of self-preservation and hit out, and bowlers will be faced with batsmen who have a devil-may-care attitude and so the bowling has to be tight and incredibly economical.
"In this format every player can lose his inhibitions, go for it and enjoy the ride."
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