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  • "The fact is that once I was playing again I was automatically available for everything on the schedule and that meant Stanford. I make no apologies for that and, as for the suggestion that I should waive the fee or give it to charity, I don't see why I should be a special case."
    Steve Harmison feels strongly about suggestions that he came out of one-day retirement in order to play the Stanford Twenty20 for 20

    Sep 7, 2008

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    2008 Twenty20 begins; new incentives for counties

    By Will 3 months ago Leave a comment on this post

    Rob Key with two nPower girls

    I can’t imagine Rob Key has ever been in a threesome. He seems too grounded, reliable a character for such shenanigans. The above portrait, then, can only mean one thing: it’s Twenty20 Cup time.

    It all begins tomorrow (or today if you’re reading this on Wednesday, June 11), but this year’s tournament brings with it a whole new twist. The counties are no longer simply playing for some bonus cash and a shiny trophy (maybe even a threesome if they play their cards right), but the opportunity to showcase their talents on a global stage by playing in the inaugural Champions League in India.

    This changes things irrevocably. The finalists of this year’s Cup will head to the Middle East, or India, or wherever, to take on their opponents from South Africa, Australia and the IPL. It will be fascinating to see what happens; will there be an added intensity because of the Champions League promise? Will all the gimmickry feel out-dated and demeaning? When the competition launched five years ago in England, it was dismissed by so many people. Too short; not fair on the bowlers; a fad, a gimmick. Financially if nothing else, it is the engine room of the sport.

    Will you be going to any games? What do you make of the Champions League?

    Fixtures for this year’s tournament are here. Andrew Miller’s preview is here. Here’s some info on the Champions League.

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    4 Responses to “2008 Twenty20 begins; new incentives for counties”

  • Kris wrote:
    June 11th, 2008 at 2.27 am

    What about (for example), if Brett Geeves’ Indian team makes the finals, as well as Tasmania? Who does he play for?

  • Eddie wrote:
    June 11th, 2008 at 8.02 am

    I’ll be going next week. Gotta get the kids interested and I haven’t got sky. But I’m a 5-day man myself.
    With all this cash swilling around I fear for the umpires authority.

  • Philip Oliver wrote:
    June 12th, 2008 at 9.01 am

    Kent looked good yesterday (until they got the jitters chasing). Northants might surprise a few people, but I was disappointed to see Somerset, my tip at the outset, losing.

  • AadityaVeer Singh Gill wrote:
    June 17th, 2008 at 5.57 am

    I’d been talking about the champions league and defending the IPL partially for ages now.This blog,obviously has woken up now and realises the significance of the champions league.

    Now, Mike hussey’s local team in australia has qualified for the CL as finalists in their domestic competition.So has the “Chennai Superkings” team led my MS Dhoni.
    In this scenario, if chennai want Hussey to play for them over his domestic team,they would have to pay a minimum of $ 250,000 to the ACB.Basically its”Pay to get them to play”.
    It’s a fantastic concept.Modi is a creative genius.

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