Twenty20

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Twenty20 cricket was introduced by the England and Wales Cricket Board in 2003. It is a form of one-day cricket in which each team bats for a maximum of only 20 overs, contrasting with 50 overs for a standard one-day match. The format means that a game can be completed in about three hours, with each innings meant to last less than 75 minutes.

Major changes from the laws of cricket include:

• Should a bowler deliver a no ball by overstepping the popping crease, his next delivery is designated a free-hit, from which the batsman can only be dismissed through a run-out, as is the case for the original "no ball".
• Bowlers may bowl a maximum of only 4 overs per innings, as is standard for 20-over cricket.
• Umpires may award 5-run penalties at their discretion if they believe either team is wasting time.
• If the fielding team do not complete bowling their 20 overs within 75 minutes, the batting side is credited an extra 6 runs for every whole over bowled after the 75 minute mark.
• The following fielding restrictions apply:
  • No more than 5 fielders can be on the leg side at any time.
  • During the first 6 overs, a maximum of 2 fielders can be outside the fielding circle.
  • After the first 6 overs, a maximum of 5 fielders can be outside the fielding circle.
• If the match ends with the scores tied, the tie is broken with a bowl-out (similar to a penalty shootout in football), with 5 bowlers from each side delivering 2 balls each at an ungarded wicket. If the number of wickets is equal after the first 10 balls per side, the bowling continues and is decided by sudden death.

So far, Twenty20 has proved very popular with the public. On July 15 2004, Middlesex vs. Surrey (the first Twenty20 game to be held at Lord's) attracted a crowd of 26,500, the largest attendance for any county cricket game other than a one-day final since 1953.

On January 12 2005, Australia's first Twenty20 game was played at the WACA ground between the Western Warriors and the Victorian Bushrangers. It drew a sellout crowd of 20,700, the largest seen at the ground for many years.

On February 17 2005, Australia defeated New Zealand in the first men's full international Twenty20 match, played at Eden Park in Auckland. The first Twenty20 international in England was played between England and Australia at the Rose Bowl in Hampshire on the 13th June 2005. England won the match by 100 runs.

On January 9 2006, Australia and South Africa met in the first international Twenty20 game in Australia. In a first, each player's nickname appeared on the back of his uniform, rather than his surname. The international match drew a crowd of 38,894 people, a record for The Gabba. Australia convincingly won the match with man of the match Damien Martyn scoring 96 runs.

The United States professional Pro Cricket league uses a format based on Twenty20, with two other changes:

• Overs are 5 balls long.
• Bowlers are restricted to 5 overs per innings (meaning only 4 bowlers are required). (For more information on bowler restrictions, see one-day cricket.)

Domestic Twenty20 Winners

England (Twenty20 Cup)

• See Twenty20 Cup

Pakistan (Twenty-20 Cup)

• 2004-05: Faisalabad Wolves
• 2005-06: Sialkot Stallions

South Africa (Pro20 Series)

• 2003-04: Goodyear Eagles
• 2004-05: Nashua Titans
• 2005-06: Gestetner Eagles

Sri Lanka (Twenty20 Cup)

• 2004: Chilaw Marians CC
• 2005-06: Sinhalese SC

Australia (KFC Twenty20 Big Bash)

• 2005–06: Victorian Bushrangers

New Zealand (State Twenty20 Cricket Tournament)

• 2005-06: Canterbury defeat Auckland by 6 wickets

List of Men's Twenty20 International games

List of Women's Twenty20 International games

External links

• cricket20
• Cricket Australia - KFC Twenty20 Big Bash
• Twenty20 Cricket in New Zealand and the Pacific Islands
• Global Twenty20 - A proposal for an international city based Twenty20 Cricket competition

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