Dear Sir,

In 2005 legendary West Indian pace bowler Michael Holding stated, "Twenty20 cricket is bull-s—-, what is the point of telling youngsters to watch the game but not to copy the players' techniques? It is not cricket and is a total waste of time.

He went on to say, "Twenty20 cricket is no good for the game because it encourages batsmen and bowlers to play in the wrong way, youngsters need to learn good techniques – they cannot do that by watching rubbish.

There is nothing good about Twenty20 cricket. People who disagree don't know what they are talking about."

Last week in the Daily Telegraph former England opening bat 'Sir' Geoffrey Boycott chided England's batsmen for failing to graft and work at wearing down South Africa's bowlers in the third Test at Edgbaston claiming they were trying to play a shot every other ball.

He attributed much of the blame for this on the amount of one-day cricket being played in County cricket and criticised ECB plans to introduce two Twenty20 competitions saying this 'means we are going to have more slapstick cricket, which will create more indiscipline, more bad technique and more impatience.'

He went on 'One-day cricket gives you no time to think and Twenty20 doesn't demand any brains at all.

It is all action, helter-skelter, hit the ball at all costs …' I mention this because I believe that the BCB and our national team selectors ought to be very wary about which players we send to these Twenty20 competitions. The side we sent to Ireland recently was relatively young and I do not believe this form of the game will enhance their game. In fact in the long run it will do them more harm than good.

I believe it would be better if we chose some of our more mature players to meet any future international Twenty20 commitments.

Sir Garfield Sobers, the greatest cricketer who ever played the game once wrote, 'I have always said that the one-day game should be the preserve of experienced players.

Too often I have seen young players, with, I felt tremendous potential, whose game was hindered rather than helped by playing limited-overs cricket … On the whole, the one-day game does not help the development of class cricketers.'

On another note Cup Match this year was well - Cup Match. Despite the hours lost to rain at the beginning the match appeared to be heading to an exciting conclusion, for Somerset fans that is, when all of a sudden it was called.

With twelve overs to go I believe Somerset agreed to end it far too early, who knows what might have happened if they had carried on.

Unlike my good friend Colin 'Tonka' Thompson I did not think any stars were born during the match, I thought all of the colts made an impression and that their performances augur well for the future.

The biggest winners this year were the fans, the Somerset grounds were immaculate and the decision to allow the game to be viewed free of charge on television was ground breaking. Somerset President Richard Scott and his executive, T&T Productions and the Bank of Bermuda should be commended for their efforts.

Those who for one reason or another were unable to attend the match were able to watch the whole game. Thank you Somerset for thinking about the public and remembering what the spirit of Cup Match is all about.

Finally like most cricket fans I look forward with eager anticipation to the release of that doyen of Bermuda writers Mr. Ira Philips book on the great man himself Alma 'Champ' Hunt. Hunt who was arguably the greatest cricketer this island has ever produced should have played for the West Indies but was denied unfortunately on a technicality.

He was not only a great cricketer but also a good coach and respected administrator of the game.

His contribution to the sport both here and internationally was second to none and he without a doubt helped set the foundation for present day Bermuda cricket.

Please look out for my next letter to Sports Mailbox when I shall issue my formal response to former Bermuda captain Clay Smith's comments in Wednesday's Royal Gazette regarding myself.

Recman