The commencement of the IPL 20/20 competition is the cricketing equivalent of the lunar landing.
Expectations are high all around the world, but will it be as historically significant? I doubt it. In fact, I think it will do more harm than good. In this fast food, throw away world the shiniest car in the lot isn't always the best. Some of the plainer things are often much more intriguing or captivating.
Of the 20/20 cricket played so far, which games stick in your mind were you think, "Geez, I'm not going to forget that in a hurry!"..............simply none of them.
No 20/20 game has made the hairs stand on the back of my neck like the day Steve Waugh metorphorically gave Trevor Hohns the two finger salute in his career saving 100 in Sydney or the day Mike Whitney held out for an over to defy the Kiwis in Melbourne, in '87, and reclaim the Trans Tasman trophy, to name just two of 1,000's of cricketing highlights borne from the longer form of the game.
These events made us proud to belong to the country of our origin. Twenty/20 may be entertaining, but if it causes our players to abandon their international and domestic careers at an earlier age, many of the wonderful memories cricket provide will be just that, memories.
An already diluted talent pool, diluted further will spell the end for the longer versions of the game.......it's time to re-embrace the simple things in life.www.cricketwithballs.com "Practice Sehwagology and kill the Probots"
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