| Twenty20 cricket is often described as being a | | | | Now I'd be the first to admit that I love test cricket. |
| lottery. Is this a fair description? Does it do the game | | | | For my money it is the pinnacle of the game that |
| justice? | | | | should be the measure of any cricketer. But at the |
| Cricket is one of the oldest games on the planet. As | | | | same time there is great beauty in the Twenty20 |
| with every great sport it seems (cricket, tennis, golf) | | | | game. Bit hitting makes those people that don't even |
| the English invent it and then the rest of the world | | | | consider themselves cricket fans stand up and take |
| beat them at it. It's just a matter of time. | | | | notice. We've seen a level of excitement in the game |
| The same thing happened with cricket's newest form | | | | that looked like perennially waning. T20 cricket has |
| of the game - Twenty 20. The English invented it | | | | seen the advent of some of the most innovative |
| and it was first showcased on the county circuit. | | | | shots to ever be seen - the most notable is of |
| Since its inception there have been two Twenty20 | | | | course the Dilscoop, but we've also seen the |
| world cups with the victors emerging from the | | | | constant evolving nature of both the reverse and |
| subcontinent - India winning in the inaugural event in | | | | conventional sweep. It's all testament to how multi |
| 2007 and Pakistan emerging victorious in England in | | | | faceted cricket is and just how great a game it truly |
| 2009. With the third twenty20 world cup in the | | | | is. |
| Caribbean only a few days away it's time to make a | | | | But is it really that much of a lottery? There's a |
| few predictions on the potential outcome of the | | | | school of thought out there to suggest it isn't. Here's |
| tournament... | | | | why. Spin has played a prominent role. Bowlers |
| Here's the thing. The cricket purists of the game | | | | actually win matches as well as batsmen (whilst their |
| don't like Twenty20 that much. There is a perception | | | | figures don't look good in conventional terms). And |
| that Twenty20 cricket tips the game even further in | | | | finally, teams that have more matchwinners in their |
| the favour of the batsmen and against the bowler. | | | | sides over the course of a tournament tend to go |
| Furthermore, many suggest that the shorter format | | | | further. |
| of the game reduces it to a bit of a lottery. In just | | | | Of course there is a flipside, but can we truly call |
| 20 overs either side can win and it just comes down | | | | Twenty20 cricket a lottery? |
| to who can ride their luck the most. | | | | |