The previous club debate posed the question: Does club cricket truly embrace T20? Some clubs and regions certainly do, but others don’t. Is T20 a slayer of tradition or a shining light for the future, and should it be given greater prominence in the club cricket calendar going forward?

Said for many years every club in the country should play T20 cricket every Sunday … home team puts on BBQs,music etc etc 2pm start ..

— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) October 21, 2017

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“All club cricketers who started at junior level have been brought up on T20 cricket – it’s a natural progression to embrace the 20-over game in senior cricket leagues. However, the ability to enhance talent for the longer form must be maintained.” Mel Wilks

“Your ageing club committee backs T20 but you go to an annual league meeting, propose change, and there is no majority vote: ‘Come back next year and try again’. Your club needs members to pay subs, match fees, drink in the bar and pay for teas to survive. Playing T20 to fit in with lifestyles leaves the clubs either having to charge more, spend less on facilities, or lose money. There is no one-size-fits-all solution.” Barry Hainsworth

“In 10 years’ time or less, T20 cricket will be played instead of 40-over cricket in some quarters – perhaps just to keep the village clubs alive.” Town Malling CC

[caption id=”attachment_61314″ align=”alignnone” width=”800″] Bicester and North Oxford CC are one of the clubs that have embraced T20 cricket[/caption]

“Oxford Cricket revamped our local T20 comps last year with great success. We got a talented bunch of young players and embraced it as a club. It seemed to work!” Bicester and North Oxford CC

“If it’s going to get people back engaged and in love with the game at a time when participation is on the slide, then yes [T20 should be encouraged]. It will hopefully feed participation in the longer forms.” Paul Watson

“T20 is revered in clubs but this short-form utopia [that Michael Vaughan speaks of] is simply unaffordable for many clubs. Save T20 for midweek and the odd cup. No compromise needed.” Bryn Jones

“It depends on how you approach T20. If you go with a win-at-all-costs mentality and play the best XI players, it’s bad. If you use it to bring new or returning players back to cricket, it can help a club grow.” Yoxford CC

“There’s no ebb and flow with T20. There’s not as much skill in building an innings and bowlers aren’t getting good development. You’re forever bowling different deliveries, so you don’t get hoiked to cow by the guy with a 3lb bat.” Adam Davies

‏“Start by trying two T20 games (between the same two sides) on a Saturday afternoon to replace the 40/50 over games. Try it out in some divisions first.  Home teams can rotate players. You’ll get a result even if half the afternoon is rained off. More action.” David Cook

“We love T20. Play it on Friday nights with coloured kits, get the music going, BBQ on. It’s a competition we’ve been very successful in and people like to watch. Finals Day on a bank holiday Sunday – what’s not to like?!” Heyside CC

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