THE Twenty20 Cup has moved on a long way since the competition first burst onto the scene in 2003.

Back in the days when it was all just a bit of a lark, the bowlers used to view its coming with a feeling of dread as their best stuff came in for fearful hammer from all and sundry.

But, gradually, they devised ways to bowl that would save them from too much punishment – some of the time, at least.

Now, the bowlers can be heroes too and most of them quite enjoy the challenge of taking on the big-hitters.

Nayan Doshi, however, has taken it a step further. He loves Twenty20.

Rightly so, you might say, because the shortest form of the game has given the 29-year-old left-arm spinner some of his most memorable days in the game but what is it about Twenty20 that brings out the best in him?

“I think it just gets me going, the adrenalin,” he said. “I love Championship cricket but I wish it had this sort of buzz.

“You are playing in front of a big crowd and you want to do your best and I really enjoy that. It just gets me bowling well.

“I haven't been at my best this season but now I feel I'm nearly there – about 80 per cent there. This competition gets me going for Championship cricket and 40-over cricket because it just gets me into rhythm, which is strange to say as a bowler.”

Twenty20 brought Doshi to most people's attention in 2004, his first season with Surrey, when his county faced Lancashire in the semi-finals at Edgbaston.

Lancashire were charging to victory when Doshi was brought into the attack. He then bowled West Indian batsman Carl Hooper and got Glenn Chapple lbw to finish with 2-27 in four overs as Surrey held on to win by one run.

“That was a tight game where Surrey stole the game away from them and lost the final but that was a great match and everyone played their part,” he added.

It was Leicestershire, including John Sadler, who beat them in the final but Doshi did his reputation no harm by taking 0-26 in four overs.

The following season was even better for Doshi, as he took 21 wickets at 11 each in the Twenty20 Cup, making him the leading wicket-taker in the competition.

This season, his first for Derbyshire, began well too. His 1-24 helped the Phantoms to victory at Headingley but his impact the night before was more spectacular – the first hat-trick of his career in the Durham dinginess at the Riverside.

“I couldn't see half of it because it was so dark!” he said.

“I didn't even realise I'd got the hat-trick because I was so focused on what I was doing I forgot about it until someone yelled at me 'it's a hat-trick'.

“I'm very fortunate to take a hat-trick in professional cricket and very happy about that but it would have been nicer if we'd won the game.

“I'd take my figures against Yorkshire above my hat-trick any day because that spell against Yorkshire helped us win the game.

“The other was just a personal landmark, which was nice but at the end of the day what you want is for your team to win.”

It is no coincidence that the slower bowlers, who, logically, might have been expected to take the severest punishment have been the most successful in Twenty20 but the winning formula is not all down to putting the minimum pace on the ball to get it down to the other end.

“If you bowl it too slowly, people cut you, pull you or just step down the track and smack you over your head,” he added.

“There is a technique. Some I will bowl cross-seam, I will vary angles in my wrist to bowl and just try to outfox the batsman.

“I just see what the batsman is going to do at the other end, try to outthink him and keep it simple.”

Beyond Twenty20, Doshi has the task of earning back his place in the Championship team after losing his place for the last two matches but has reacted positively to his omission.

“I was left out because I wasn't bowling at my best,” he admitted.

“John Morris is a fair man, he backs me and wants me to go far in my cricket because he believes in my talent.

“He's honest and if he didn't believe in me, he wouldn't waste his time.

“I had a couple of technical problems and I worked very hard to put them right. I'm much better for it because the way I'm bowling now, not going for runs in Twenty20 cricket, you've got to be bowling well.

“I just hope I can keep it going and help my team win lots more games.”