It's Cricket Jim, but not as we know it..

I watched the new "100" cricket format last night on TV, I found it captivating, not least because I knew it was going to be over in 90 minutes! 

Now, don't get me wrong, I love Cricket and a good five day test match or Ashes series are quite compelling to me (even a good 20-20 game), but, to be perfectly honest the number of times in my life when I've had five clear and consecutive days to get absorbed into a cricket game can be counted on the fingers of one hand, in fact the answer is once! Back in 2005 I was laid up in bed with a bad back whilst the Ashes was on and watched every minute of every day, it was thrilling (I picked a good series to have a bad back!) Since then I've enjoyed matches but, as most working people do, only catching the odd hour or half-day here and there (thank Thor for TV highlights!)

The new format is most definitely "showbiz forward" and aimed at a younger less geeky crowd, but to be honest, who cares! If we get more kids into the game and make it more accessible to more people then that's all that matters, the more cerebral formats can be maintained (and afforded) for old codgers like me to enjoy when we're retired!

PS on further inspection, this photo is slightly alarming! The chap on the right hand side of the stage looks like he's going up in flames! (what's actually happening is that the "showbiz" elements mainly consisted of music, flares and fireworks) Much like the new format, whether you enjoyed it or not is probably mostly about perspective!