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Comment

WITH his predecessor as Durham captain, Mike Hussey, among the century-makers on the opening weekend of the Indian Premier League, Dale Benkenstein is convinced that Twenty20 is about to revolutionise cricket.

He is confident there will always be a place for Test matches, but feels that Twenty20fs innovations will see cricket reach out to a wider audience, with greater financial benefits for the players.

Following the astonishing innings of 158 not out by New Zealandfs Brendon McCullum on the first day of IPL acton, Hussey hit an unbeaten 116 for the Chennai Super Kings on Sunday.

Benkenstein has not scaled such dizzy heights during his two stints with the grebelh Indian Cricket League over the winter, but he has no regrets about getting involved.

gIfd just played my first game of the season for Natal when the call came out of the blue,h he said. gFrom a business point of view it was difficult to turn it down.

gIt was great to have the opportunity.

I was not one of the first to be contacted and if I hadnft taken it I would not have been asked again.

gThese Twenty20 leagues are going to turn the cricket world upside down with their innovations and financial packages.

gThe owner of Zee TV is putting the money into ICL. It made sense for him because he didnft have to buy any television rights.

gHe has committed for five years, and as with any investment the returns will be there eventually. He has people like Kapil Dev and Tony Greig among his directors. They are cricket people and I really think they are doing it in the right spirit - they want cricket to gain a bigger audience.h Benkenstein has signed for three years, with tournaments every December and March, and despite opposition from the fullysanctioned IPL he is confident the ICL will survive.

gThey have no restrictions from the International Cricket Conference, so they can do what they like. I think the IPL will be the elite end of the game and the ICL will become a feeder, giving opportunities to young Indian players.

gThey have been outstanding in looking after the players so far.

From a professional point of view they have done everything they said they would. There is a huge cricket following in India and our games were very well supported.

gIt comes down to what people want in the modern day, but Test cricket will always have its place.

gIt will be really interesting to see how things develop in the next three or four years. Twenty20 cricket is unique and as it evolves there will be specialists who might not be any good at other forms of the game. It will give them a chance to play which they might not otherwise have had.

gThe really good ones will adapt, but there will be a lot of specialists in things like opening the batting or bowling at the death. There will be some really exciting innovations and in a few years it will be a totally different game.h Durham Academy product Danny Evans, the 20-year-old Hartlepool-born seamer who signed for Middlesex last season, took three for 36 in ten overs on his Friends Provident Trophy debut on Sunday at the Oval. In a match in which Andrew Strauss hit 163, Evans removed Mark Ramprakash for a duck.

8:42am Tuesday 22nd April 2008

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