Still up to speed with Twenty20 love match

14 April 2012

There will be speed dating and beaches on the boundary edge. Naturally. Oh, and another 28,000 sell-out at Lord's for a game between two counties that will last no longer than two-and-a-half hours.

Well, to be fair, not even the Twenty20 phenomenon can spark a total revolution at the home of cricket, so anyone wanting to get extra friendly - or take their clothes off - while sixes rain down on them should know that certain standards of decorum must still be observed.

But, just like last year, Lord's should be packed this evening for Middlesex's home match against mighty rivals Surrey.

All 23,000 tickets have been sold and a good turnout from members of both counties, plus the MCC, will see the "house full'' signs go up again.

That news is all the more encouraging for domestic cricket when you consider England are playing Australia at the same time.

Twenty20 is back for its third year and still booming beyond all expectations. Ever since Surrey became the inaugural Twenty20 champions, the competition keeps getting bigger.

Last summer came the introduction of quarter-finals, with the title going to Leicestershire. This season each county will play eight, rather than five, preliminary round fixtures to bring about more derby matches.

Yesterday saw nine games up and down the country and every afternoon or evening for the next fortnight brings two, and usually more, Twenty20 contests.

In 2003, when no one was quite sure whether Twenty20 would fire imaginations or flop without trace, gimmicks were the order of the day.

Now, while the music and razzmatazz remain, most counties have found that fans actually want to watch the cricket and they'll take or leave the speed dating.

Still, it would be nice to report that Gaye Hodge and Gavin Wood, who will marry in Malvern on 2 July and then watch Worcestershire play Gloucestershire from 'Love Island' (a man-made beach inside New Road), had been thrown together at a Twenty20 game.

In fact, they've been an item for 10 years, so theirs is not a match for speed dating to shout about.

Twenty20, though, is a game almost everyone seems to have taken to their heart - and those who mind domestic cricket's purse strings can only hope the love affair lasts.

In last night's action, Mushtaq Ahmed recorded competition best bowling figures of five for 11 as Sussex beat Essex by nine wickets at Hove.

Essex were all out for 109 in 16.3 overs after winning the toss and Sussex stormed home with 5.3 overs in hand.

Elsewhere, Surrey and Middlesex warmed up for tonight's big clash with victories over Kent and Hampshire respectively.

Tonight's fixtures (5.30) - Lord's: Middlesex v Surrey, Taunton: Somerset v Worcestershire This year's schedule - Preliminary round: 22 June-6 July, Quarter-finals: 18 July, Semi-finals and Final - 30 July (Brit Oval)

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Still up to speed with Twenty20 love match

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