2003 Twenty20 Cup

Following drops in attendances at county cricket matches, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) first suggested playing a new reduced form of cricket in 1998. The first-class cricket counties and the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) did not approve the idea, which was then shelved. However, attendances continued to drop, and in 2001 the ECB brought the idea up once more, and invested £200,000 in market research. This research suggested that two-thirds of the population claimed to either hate cricket, or have no interest in it, and that cricket grounds had the intimidating feel of private members' clubs. Half of the study group indicated that they would be able to tolerate a shorter match played on weekday evenings. This research was taken back to the first-class counties and the MCC, and the formation of a new, short form of cricket was approved 11–7, with the MCC abstaining. The format, in which team batted and bowled for 20 overs with a 15-minute break between innings, was decided upon, and the ECB then began marketing the concept with special offers and newspaper adverts. In addition to the shorter format, the competition also included off-field entertainment, including live bands, replay screens, barbecue zones and karaoke machines. Each of these were introduced to attract a wider range of spectators, particularly families and younger people. ==Format==

The 18 first-class counties were split into three regional groups of six teams, which were retained from the Benson & Hedges Cup. • Matches would begin at 5.30pm (Day/night matches at Hove and Chelmsford would begin at 7.30pm) and finish no later than 8.15pm (10.15pm for day/night matches). • Each innings should last no longer than 75 minutes. • Teams will incur a six-run penalty if they fail to bowl the full 20 overs within the 75 minutes. • New batsmen must be in position within 90 seconds of a wicket falling. • Only two fielders are allowed outside an inner circle during the first six overs of a team's innings. • Bowlers are permitted a maximum of a fifth of the total overs in a completed innings (i.e. four overs if there is no delay or interruption caused by rain). • Umpires can impose a five-run penalty for time-wasting by batsmen. They are expected to be ready as soon as the bowler is ready. • No-balls will be penalised by a free-hit next ball with standard rules on no-ball dismissals applying. • Each team must face a minimum of five overs for a match to be valid. The Duckworth-Lewis method will be used to calculate run targets in rain-affected games. ==Media coverage==

Sky Sports broadcast eight group matches and the entirety of Finals Day live. Channel 4 broadcast one live group match, and showed highlights of the final. They also covered the event in their weekly sports programme. The BBC provided radio coverage of group matches via regional and local stations, and the Twenty20 final was given live coverage on BBC Radio 5 Live, while both semi-finals were covered on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra. ==Fixtures and results==

Group stage Midlands/Wales/West Division North Division South Division The inaugural Twenty20 match was contested between Hampshire Hawks and Sussex Sharks at The Rose Bowl on 13 June 2003. The match attracted a sell-out crowd and was screened live on Sky Sports. Hampshire "came out of the blocks firing", according to Cricinfo's Vic Isaacs, scoring 66 runs in the opening 7 overs. In the division's other opening-night match, Surrey Lions' James Ormond took the first five-wicket haul in the Twenty20 Cup to help restrict Middlesex Crusaders to 155, which Surrey then passed with four balls remaining to secure the win. ==Finals Day==

Semi-finals ---- Final • This was the inaugural English domestic final to be played with coloured clothing and white balls. • This was also the inaugural English domestic final to be played under floodlights. ==Players statistics==

Batting averages (Top 10) Bowling averages (Top 10) ==See also==