Nothing wrong if Twenty20 is third format of cricket: Lillee

Chennai, Sep 6 (UNI) Former Australia ace paceman Dennis Lillee today said the Twenty20 format of cricket has more or less come to stay as the 'third variety of the game' after the slam bang one-day international, which is strategy oriented, and the conventional Test cricket.

''Why not,'' Lillee retorted when asked if he thought that the Twenty20 format would be serious cricket, in the wake of the inaugural World championship to be played in South Africa next week.

It was ideal for people who wish to relax with the family after a hard day at work, he opined, talking to UNI on the sidelines of a function to felicitate the University of Western Australia (UWA) team, which is touring Bangalore and Chennai.

Asked if he would put down any favourites in the first Twenty20 World Cup, he said, ''I would say Australia, but in this format it could be any team. This game is such that it's all up in the air.'' Lillee, who was here to assess the trainees at the MRF Pace Foundation where he is a Consultant, said the Twenty20 also puts more pressure on the bowlers, especially the pacemen, compared to the 50-over ODI matches.

About batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar's statement that he was unable to put up with the demands of ODI cricket, he said this was expected from any leading player, taking into consideration the demanding international calendar.

''The amount of cricket they play these days and as a player who gets to the twilight of his career or suffers injuries, this is inevitable,'' he observed.

Meanwhile, former Sri Lankan and present UWA coach Tom Moody and UWA captain Marcus North said the tour would be a good exposure in different conditions, besides being culturally educative.

UNI