Richard
Cricket Web Staff Member
Twenty20 is indeed a game for more people than cricket is (cricket's following will always be limited to a minority). However, overwhelmingly, Twenty20 is, well... a game for people who don't like cricket (ie, First-Class cricket). I have never once suggested Twenty20 is taking people away from the First-Class game, simply that the game (ie, the First-Class game) is not gaining much fanship from Twenty20.Here is the thing. They would not have gone to FC games in the first place. It isnt like they are being stolen from 4 day cricket and being turned into evil T20 fans. I know this because noone watched FC cricket and still noone watches FC cricket.
Its a game for all people. Im a Test match elitist and I love T20, same as my American co-worker who doesnt like cricket but has watched a T20 game when living in UK.
Its an event, its a spectacle and it is still cricket.
I dont care whether the crowd like FC cricket or not. The fact they are watching our game and getting excited about it is a great thing.
The more the better.
I've not once said Twenty20 is useless, as no-one ever argues against aesses on seats - or nice big TV contracts. But that's the limit of its use to the First-Class game. Most people who like Twenty20 are not cricket (First-Class cricket) fans. And therefore it really doesn't matter that much (to me and other people who like cricket but don't like Twenty20, or to most Twenty20 fans who don't like cricket) how much Twenty20 resembles First-Class cricket - all that matters is that Twenty20 has a big audience.
The number of people who like First-Class cricket and like Twenty20 is absolutely miniscule when taken as a percentage of everyone who likes First-Class cricket plus everyone who likes Twenty20. That is all.