There is a certain class of English cricket enthusiast who will have barely registered that the Champions League was even taking place this past two weeks. If you are a member of this class, you would probably snort in derision at the idea that it is set to become one of the most important competitions in cricket.

Twenty20 is still percieved, in England at least, as “hit and giggle”, a bit of fun that shouldn’t be taken seriously. It’s referred to as a lottery, the ridiculous idea that a team’s level of skill has no bearing whatsoever on whether or not it is successful.

It is time to drop the snobbery.

There has been renewed press speculation that the 2012 Olympic stadium could be used for cricket once The Torch has begun it’s four-year crawl in the general direction of Rio. Naturally, the ECB and surrounding counties say they know nothing about it.

But, in order to keep up with the rest of the world (i.e. India) with it’s T20 finance boom, English cricket needs a modern infrastructure to match. Instead it has Old Trafford, about as modern as Alf Garnett.

Some might say that a cricket contest took place today. Others, including all of New South Wales, would disagree with a certain amount of muscular vitality. But far more importantly, we can reveal for the first time a hidden secret about the much scrutinised technique of Philip Hughes.

Piyush Chawla will be Surrey’s overseas player for 2010, as they continue to try and hoover up the better county performers from last season.

Do me a favour, and take a look out of the nearest window. There may well be a winged hog somewhere in the vicinity. Meanwhile, in the cricket world, a county chairman has been heard saying the things that Giles Clarke gets paid to sweep under the carpet: English cricket is as anachronistic as the crew of USS Enterprise strolling around the Wild West.

Craig Kieswetter has been touted as not only England’s next wicketkeeper-batsman, but also as the new Kevin Pietersen.  He qualifies for England in February and is eager to earn the abuse of South Africans everywhere.
But he didn’t perform well at the Champions League Twenty20, and has admitted as much in an interview with Cricinfo:
I put [...]

With Hoggy being released by Yorkshire, there will be a queue of counties all jostling each other to sign him up for 2010. Leicestershire have declared their interest, and now Kent have followed suit. In truth, there are probably 14 others who would love to have an experienced former England seamer on their books, especially one who is only 32.