David Leggat: Bid to cash in on new crowd-puller

A decent argument can be mounted that cricket's Twenty20 revolution began on September 24, 2007.

On that day, India beat Pakistan by five runs to win the inaugural world Twenty20 title in Johannesburg.

Before that, the Indians had been lukewarm on the newest international version of the game. Not ones to miss a trick, their officials quickly figured out the possibilities.

Out of that - and stirred along by the setting up of a privately-run rival in the Indian Cricket League - came the Indian Premier League, and the landscape of the game has changed for good.

Where players once viewed playing for their national side as the pinnacle, many now view a deal to play for Indian businesses as the most sought-after piece of paper in the game. Priorities have changed, chasing the dollar the primary objective.

Tomorrow, New Zealand's domestic version, the HRV Cup, starts with Northern Districts hosting Auckland at the holiday hotspot Mt Maunganui. There's no question that of the three domestic competitions, this is the one in which New Zealand Cricket have put most of their eggs this summer.

The international players will all be available, games will be televised. This is seen as a chance to cash in on what they hope will be the new crowd-puller.

Australia's equivalent, the Big Bash, started a few days ago - and with New Zealand involvement in the form of captain Dan Vettori, a temporary Queenslander later this month, and Ross Taylor, who banged 58 off 36 balls in helping Victoria sneak past Queensland by three runs last Monday.

They will be eligible to play for those states, should they qualify, in the lucrative Champions League later this year as well as their own New Zealand provinces if they win their January 31 final. The more irons in this fire the better.

England have their catchily-titled Friends Provident T20. Other domestic competitions are sprouting. It's big business.

Otago were New Zealand's representatives in the inaugural Champions League in India in October. They lost both their games but still there was a decent payout.

With the exception of Canterbury, the provinces have hired an overseas player.

Canterbury already have two South Africans, captain Kruger van Wyk and batsman Johann Myburgh, in their squad. Even though they are both eyeing New Zealand citizenship they are still officially listed as imports.

So first off, NZC should double the number per team for next season. One means taking a punt on the type of cricketer they want; two means most bases can be covered and should produce a stronger competition.

Anyway one it is for now, so who has chosen wisest among the five?

Northern Districts are certainly the unluckiest, with Sri Lankan batting whizz Tillakaratne Dilshan ruled out of at least the first five games by a rapidly-arranged ODI commitment against Bangladesh and India.

Auckland and Wellington have gone for batsmen in English pair Ravi Bopara and Owais Shah respectively, although Auckland will hope to get some handy overs out of their man, based on his work so far this season.

Otago have plumped for a medium pacer, Pakistan's Yasir Arafat, who can bat a bit, while Central Districts' Englishman Graham Napier was good value for Wellington last summer, and his 73 off 27 balls against ND just before Christmas must have had CD fans rubbing their hands in anticipation.

Teams rather than individuals usually win games, and it is likely to be the work of those around the big names which counts most.

Those with batsmen who can score quickly, have improvisational ability, field enthusiastically and well, and bowl smartly, with clever variations in pace a key ingredient, will prosper most.

Sloggers are all well and good but the best batsmen have shown sticking to traditional shotmaking, played well, can be at least as effective as the hoick over mid wicket.

"To me, it's still a game of cricket and proper shots give you the most value for runs," Shah said this week.

NZC are hoping to catch the prevailing Twenty20 breeze this month and give the profile of the domestic game a welcome lift.