We have no doubt that by now you’ve heard about the first ever RSA Inter-Provincial T20 Blitz Day being held in Pembroke Cricket Club this Friday the 21st June 2013 and have already planned your picnics and the colour hardhat which you’ll be wearing.
You may be interested to know how this curious phenomenon which is twenty-over cricket came about and how it is that you came to be watching the high-energy organised chaos in front of you.
The T20 format as we now know it originated in England when, after the B&H Cup ended in 2002, the England and Wales Cricket Board were desperate to boost the game’s popularity with the younger generation in response to dwindling crowds and reduced sponsorship. The marketing manager at the time, Stuart Robinson, proposed a 20 over per innings game to the County Chairmen and they voted 11-7 in favour of adopting the new format.
The first official T20 matches were played on the 13th June 2003 between the English Counties in the Twenty20 Cup and it was an instant success, with Surrey picking up the title that year. From then on there was no stopping the spread of the game, and a domestic competition is now run by every test nation, the most prominent of which is the Indian Premier League.
Following on from the domestic success of the format, it wasn’t long before the pitchside firework displays and boundary-celebrating dancing girls caught the eye of the International Cricket Council and the first T20 international was played at Eden Park in Auckland on the 17th February 2005 when Australia defeated New Zealand in a game played in a light-hearted manner – both sides turned out in kit similar to that worn in the 1980’s. Some of the players also sported moustaches/beards and hair styles popular in the 1980’s. But soon the joking stopped when the players and suits realised just how popular the game was becoming. Crowds of 30,000 plus for T20 internationals were commonplace in Australia and India and grounds were filling up fast in all other countries as well.
Fast forward only a decade and it hard to envisage the game without its T20 fix. There have already been four T20 World Cups, 3 of which have featured Ireland, and the IPL has recently completed its 6th season.
The popularity of the format has not escaped us here in Ireland, and a host of T20 Cups are played throughout our various Unions and Division. Here in Leinster, most clubs are involved in a T20 cup of sorts one of which, the ever popular Whelan Cup, uniquely features 15 eight-ball overs an innings to make up the 120 deliveries.
So back to this coming Friday. The day consists of 2 matches and we’re involved in both. First up the Leinster Lightning take on the North-West Warriors starting at 12:30 and ending at 15:30. After a 90 minute break, we play the Northern Knights, starting at 17:00. During the break, there will be a series of kwik-cricket matches featuring local teams in the area. Food and drink will be readily available throughout the day (no alcohol may be brought onto the premises).
Pembroke Cricket Club is the perfect host for the day. It is one of the most picturesque and accessible grounds in Dublin, with the DART train running right next to the club. The club was founded in 1868 and is located at Sydney Parade, Park Avenue, just outside the old village of Sandymount in the Dublin suburb of Ballsbridge. The grounds were part of the lands of the Pembroke Estate from which the Club took its name. In 1983 the Club bought out the ground from the Estate and now is the joint owner in conjunction with Monkstown Rugby Club.
With over 4 acres of green space in an idyllic setting, it’s going to be a fantastic day!
On the longest day of the year, you won’t want to miss this exhibition of quality T20 cricket – bring the family down to Pembroke Cricket Club (Park Avenue, Sandymount, Dublin 4). Tickets are €10 and under-16’s get in free. Entry is free to members of Cricket Ireland – please bring your membership cards along. The gates open at 11:30am.
Please do not hesitate to contact the administrator of the Leinster Lightning team, Ed Wyeth, should you have any queries about the day. His email address is edwyeth@gmail.com.