The Independent Voice of West Indies Cricket

Holding: Twenty20 Cricket is 'Rubbish'

Thu, Feb 3, '05

 

Michael Holding

Former West Indies fast bowling ace Michael Holder has dismissed the Twenty20 cricket craze as ?rubbish? and warned against making it a staple on the international calendar.

Holding, now an outspoken television voice, refused to even watch a recent Twenty20 match between Australia ?A? and Pakistan and was quoted as describing the new format as a slugfest.

"It saddens me to hear people say that it is a real contest between bat and ball. How can simple slogging be good cricket?" Holding told The Voice newspaper in Australia.

"It might have a place in domestic cricket but should never be introduced as an international competition," the Jamaican commentator added.

Holding?s derisive dismissal of Twenty20 cricket comes as the ICC?s chief executives' committee prepares to discuss the viability of the new format, which has enjoyed major commercial success in England.

First launched in England in 2002, Twenty20 has expanded to South Africa and Australia also plans to implement the format in its state competition early next year.

Even amidst all the buzz, Holding wants nothing to do with the new format. He has told his TV employers not to schedule him for Twenty20 games. ?What is the point of telling youngsters to watch the game but not to copy the players' techniques?" Holding asked.

"There is nothing good about Twenty20 cricket. People who disagree don't know what they are talking about."

What is Twenty20?

The game is played with traditional one-day rules, with some exceptions:

  • Twenty overs per side.

  • Bowlers are restricted to 4 overs each.

  • Fielding restrictions in the first six overs - 2 fielders outside circle with a minimum of two stationary fielders.

  • Fielding restrictions for overs 7-20 - maximum five fielders allowed outside of circle.

  • A 'no-ball' is worth 2 runs, and the batsman gets a free hit after a no-ball.

  • Each side has just 80 minutes to get through their 20 overs. There is 15 minutes between innings.

  • There are run penalties for each over which hasn't been bowled in the allocated time.

  • The next batsman has 90 seconds after the fall of a wicket to get to the crease.