"Kill cricket", that's what Twenty20 is all about

'Kill cricket'. That is how best Twenty20 cricket could be described. We describe this game thus because other than for helping the participants and the officials make big, big money, it does sweet nothing to improve one's game.

Technique above all is hit beyond the boundary. It won't be long before cricket is classed alongside baseball.

With 50 over cricket already there, Twenty20 will soon go ahead of that 'cowboy game' with that game being forgotten and Twenty20 given more prominence and importance.

Take the Indian Premier League Twenty20 that is now in progress in several centres in India. Watching those games unfold what one sees is very poor technique.

There is no exquisite timing, no straight bats, no playing the line etc. What one sees is more baseball style batting with the finer points of batsmanship being hit for six.

To the connoisseurs this is not cricket. I remember the great Australian leg spinner Bill O'Reiley telling me that he would prefer to turn his chair and watch the walls, rather than watch the 50 over game that was anathema to him. With Twenty20 being unwound, he must be spinning in his grave, and we can imagine what he would say of this game.

Every budding cricketer was brought up on the lines and told to play a straight bat, not to hit against the line etc. And they followed this advice as their careers began to blossom and it was a treat to watch batsmen adhering to this and going on to make big scores delighting those watching.

But today what do we see because of the 50 and Twenty20 game. The shots the batsmen play, the least said the better. We shudder to thing what our future generation of cricketers would be.

Today those in charge of cricket would do anything for money.

The Indian tournament sees nothing but money. To those earning mind boggling money the Twenty20 is everything. They will sing the praises of the organisers, those who gave the greenlight to conduct it and of those who are spending and devaluing the thing called money.

Today what is happening in India is nothing but shame on the time honoured and hallowed game. The early Britishers who gave this game to the world must be turning in their graves, unable to watch the disgrace that is being heaped on this game.

Must we remind the Board of Control for Cricket in India that when this game was first mooted, they shrugged and turned their backs on it. But once forced to play it and the taste they experienced in winning the first Twenty20 World Cup is South Africa, they forget their initial refusal and took to it like ducks to water.

The International Cricket Council when they allowed this style of cricket to be played and tagged it international, they were doing the greatest disservice to the game. They outlawed the Indian Cricket League tourney but gave their blessings for the IPL.

That is because they probably were frightened of the clout the Indian Cricket Board wielded and had no other alternative, but succumb.

Now with the Twenty20 catching up in schools, clubs and countries, schools will do well to concentrate in this style of game, because this style will allow the students more time to concentrate on their studies, which is badly affected by their playing one and half day's cricket.

One wonders what other style of cricket the ICC will allow.

The other day I had some dental work to be done on my teeth and in visiting my dentist Dr. Miraz Mukthar - who was a former captain of cricket at D.S. Senanayake College, got into conversation and he too lamented the death knell of other versions of the game with the introduction of Twenty20 cricket.

And Miraz knew what he was talking about, because he was a promising cricket's at school, but had to give it up to concentrate on his higher education.

Surprise by ICC

It came like a bouncer from a fast bowler rearing off a good length and hitting a batsman flush on the face to read a note from International Cricket Council warning the Indian Board about a sub-standard wicket they prepared for a Test against South Africa in Kanpur which ended inside three days, and to see that it is not repeated.

One could not believe that note.

It was the consensus that the ICC was playing second fiddle to the Indian Board after the incidents that took place in Australia during the tour of India.

After those incidents one thought that the ICC would soon be tagged the Indian Cricket Council, er, er... sorry, sorry.

If we remember right even when Australia toured India a similar situation arose and the Aussies failed to get just past the 100 run mark to win a Test which they were posed to win.