WEST INDIES fast bowling legend Michael Holding has launched a ferocious attack on proposals to adopt Twenty-20 cricket into international competition.
Holding has branded the England and Wales Cricket Board's decision to host the first Twenty20 International in England - at the Rose Bowl against Australia on June 13 - as "rubbish" and "a waste of time".
And he has nothing but contempt for the idea that Twenty20 cricket could revolutionise the limited-overs game.
Holding said. "Twenty20 cricket is rubbish.
"What is the point of telling youngsters to watch the game but not to copy the players' techniques?
"It's not cricket and is a total waste of time.
"It might have a place in domestic cricket to increase crowds but not in international cricket at the Rose Bowl or anywhere else.
"I have told Sky Television that I don't want to commentate on Twenty20 matches.
"In fact, I don't want anything to do with Twenty20 cricket full stop."
Holding refused to watch the first Twenty20 international in Adelaide last month when a sell out crowd saw Australia A defeat Pakistan.
He wouldn't have been impressed, therefore, with Ricky Ponting's unbeaten 98 off 55 balls for Australia in the first senior Twenty20 international against New Zealand yesterday.
"Twenty20 cricket is bad for cricket because it encourages batsmen and bowlers to play in the wrong way," Holding said.
But Twenty20 cricket has been a huge hit at county level and the Rose Bowl sold out in record time when tickets for the England v Australia international went on sale before Christmas.
Hampshire chairman Rod Bransgrove has done as much as anyone to embrace the commercially-popular Twenty20 format.
That resulted in the Rose Bowl claiming three of the top five Twenty20 attendances last season outside of the semi-finals and finals day.
At Lord's over 27,000 packed in to watch Middlesex play Surrey - the highest attendance for a non-final between two counties at an English ground since the 1950s.
Bransgrove said: "Last year the Twenty20 format proved a great success with young and old, men and women alike.
"Moving on to the international stage will take this new form of cricket to another level."
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