Twenty20 cricket to bid for Olympic status

Twenty20 cricket could become an Olympic event in time for the 2012 games, under plans outlined today by the England & Wales Cricket Board. If their campaign proves successful, cricket will return to the Olympics for the first time since the Paris games in 1900, when Great Britain beat France to take the gold medal.

Twenty20 cricket was a huge hit in its inaugural season last year, with 250,000 spectators flocking through the gates. Already the format has been replicated in South Africa, and even the USA has been enticed by the prospect, with its own Pro Cricket tournament launching next month.

Now the plan is to go global, and with London in the running for the 2012 games, the ECB is keen for Twenty20 cricket to be a part of the event. "We have had preliminary discussions with the ICC," said Tim Lamb, the outgoing chief executive of the ECB, "about the possibility of them making a case for Twenty20 cricket, particularly if London is successful in its bid. If 2012 is too soon, then perhaps we will look further down the line. Twenty20 in 2020, who knows?"

A spokesman for the ICC said there had been "very, very preliminary talks" with the ECB on the subject, but added that it was too early to speculate about the success of such a proposal. "We are currently exploring ways in which we could join the Olympic family," he said, "perhaps initially as a non-playing member."

In the meantime, Twenty20 cricket is set to play its first international match in August, when England's women take on New Zealand, and then next summer, the men are planning an Ashes curtain-raiser against Australia.