Twenty20 Cricket Reaches Double Figures
This week marks the 10th anniversary of the first ever Twenty20 matches, and to celebrate the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) are asking fans to vote for the best XI of players to have played in the domestic competition, now known as the Friends Life t20.
It was ten years ago when world cricket was revolutionised with the introduction of the Twenty20 Cup on 13th June 2003, despite the initial opposition of seven counties, when Hampshire faced Sussex at the Rose Bowl.
To mark the milestone, the ECB has also launched a new video of some of its most explosive, exciting and memorable highlights to get the conversation started. Watch it now at Sport Industry TV.
Headline grabbing moments such as Graham Napier’s stunning 152 not out in 2008, Scott Styris’ world-record 38 runs from a single over on the way to a 37-ball century, and Middlesex’s last-ball win in the 2008 final provided some of cricket’s most unforgettable memories of the last 10 years.
Fans are now being given the chance to have their say on those standout performers, and voting will begin on Monday, with each of the 18 counties asking fans to vote via Twitter for the best batsman, bowler and all-rounder to have represented their team in Twenty20 cricket.
Those players will then be put through to nationwide fan polls on the ECB’s Facebook page, before the overall best XI line-up is announced on Friday 28th June ahead of the competition’s first full weekend of fixtures.
ECB chief executive David Collier said: ‘Since the ECB launched Twenty20 cricket in 2003, we have seen incredible moments and individual performances that have paved the way for the format’s widespread popularity around the world today. We hope that by giving fans a chance to vote for the best XI, they will be reminded of the great-value entertainment that will be on offer in the Friends Life t20 this summer.’
The evolution of Twenty20 cricket, and more, will be discussed by Collier himself alongside the next President of the MCC, Mike Gatting, at Wednesday’s Nolan Partners Sport Industry Breakfast Club. Limited seats are still available, so ensure your seat today.
