T20 cricket proving its worth

EACH weekend The Chronicle sport team jumps on its Saturday Soapbox and voices its opinion on some pressing sporting issues.

This week the team talks about Twenty20 cricket among other things.

Jason Gibbs: I have found myself watching a lot more Twenty20 cricket over the past year or so.

So much so I can’t remember the last time I watched a 50-over cricket game with any great interest or passion.

This year I even found my myself eagerly awaiting the new Big Bash League season which started earlier this week.

In 2003 when T20 was first introduced the cricketing world considered it a bit of laugh - they said it would never last.

They said the same thing when 50-over games were introduced.

Then they saw it (T20) as the downfall of Test cricket and a blight on the cricketing landscape.

Now nearly everyone is a fan of some degree.

But why? When did our beliefs change?

I, for one, think it was when we realised the different forms of the game can co-exist, even complement each other.

The fact is like 50-over cricket in its hey day, T20 has attracted a new group of fans to cricket.

And even though not all of them will fall in love with the other forms of the game at least some will.

It is those new fans who help sustain the game, so if anything T20 is only strengthening cricket.

Plus it’s so damn fun to watch - who doesn’t love a good cross bat slog or classic one-hand catch in the crowd.

Glen McCullough: I remain torn on Twenty20 cricket.

There is something about our new hit-and-miss national summer sport that as a cricket lover just doesn’t sit right with me.

On the plus side, kids go for it, thousands flock to matches, millions tune into it at home and it has people talking about cricket. They are all huge pluses. Another thing I like about the domestic Twenty20 competition is its tribal appeal.

Everyone loves to barrack for a team from their own patch while at the same time despising the other mob.

But the trouble for me is I’m not quite sure where the fluff ends and the sport begins.

I take my hat off to the promotion, publicity and presentation the Ten Network dish up for the Big Bash.

But that seems to be what Twenty20 cricket is built around — entertainment first and cricket second.

Perhaps I’m used to the reverse where Test cricket, and to some extent one-day stuff, are skilful sport that provide entertainment.

Maybe I need to get over myself and just enjoy the latest fad for what it is.

Madolyn Peters: Twenty20 is actually what sparked my interest in cricket.

I’m the first to admit cricket has never been my first choice of sport to watch or play.

I remember when I was a kid and my dad would turn the cricket on we would all groan and ask him to change the channel to something else.

As I grew up he would tell me T20 was a lot better to watch and made me sit down in front of the telly for a game. Then he took me to a live Big Bash game and I was hooked.

I definitely think it complements the other forms and invited a whole new audience to the game.