Derbys' sights are on reaping rewards as Twenty20 returns

THE days of hit-and-giggle Twenty20 cricket are long gone.

As Derbyshire and the other 17 counties get ready for the start of this season's competition tomorrow, the stakes have never been higher.

The Twenty20 Cup, regarded as a bit of light relief for players and spectators when it started out in 2003, lost its innocence when it became successful.

As soon as it was clear there was money to be made, pound and rupee signs lit up the eyes of major businessmen. Like a cuckoo chick, Twenty20 is outgrowing its adopted siblings and the more gloomy speculation is that it will soon turf all the other chicks out of the nest.

Cricket is grappling to save its quality restaurants from a fast food takeover and there is no doubt that the two can co-exist, as long as the will remains among the decision-makers to maintain choice for the customer.

But until the time when cricket settles into a structure where first-class and Twenty20 can thrive side by side, the shorter form of the game continues to expand and prosper, with big money on offer for the two counties who reach this season's final at the Rose Bowl on July 26.

It was announced at the weekend that an in-principle agreement has been reached between the national boards of England, Australia, India and South Africa over the staging of the inaugural Twenty20 Champions League in the Middle East or India from late September to early October.

Eight teams, two from each country, will play 15 matches in 10 days with the prize for the winners an eye-watering £2.5m.

The prospect of Derbyshire earning the chance to play for such high sums is almost beyond contemplation but two county sides will and some have taken steps to maximise their chances.

Durham, Derbyshire's first opponents at the Riverside tomorrow (6pm), have signed up South African great Shaun Pollock and his countryman Albie Morkel, a big-hitting all-rounder, especially for the competition.

Should they reach the final, it will be money well spent but there is still one crease to be ironed out before any English club can start planning how to spend the prize cash.

Not least is the fact that almost every county has a player on their squad who has played in the Indian Cricket League and because the finalists of the Indian Premier League will be their nation's representatives in the autumn spectacular, there is a problem still waiting to be resolved.

The IPL has huge influence and though the official line from the national boards has suggested a compromise can be reached, IPL chairman Lalit Modi was less conciliatory on the subject.

“Any ICL player playing for any team automatically disqualifies that team from participating in the Champions League,” he said. “No exceptions will be made under any circumstances.”

If that hard line is adopted, any English participation in the Champions League would surely be impossible.

But all that is a long way down the line and Derbyshire feel they have a chance of making good progress in this season's competition.

The addition of Charl Langeveldt (pictured) and Wavell Hinds, not to mention the winter signings of Rikki Clarke plus the likes of John Sadler and Nayan Doshi, who have both enjoyed success in this competition, leaves Derbyshire in better shape to compete.

Their form in the Friends Provident Trophy was also an encouragement and head of cricket John Morris believes his squad is well suited to the demands.

“Twenty20 is three weeks we can look at with confidence and back ourselves to do well,” he said. “We'll look to have some fun and see where we go because you need a bit of luck as well. We've got a bit of quality and I think there are match-winners in our team.”