South Africa, Windies herald new era in Criclket

Add as a preferred source on Google

Johannesburg, Sep 11: Hosts South Africa will be hoping to make an explosive start when they face West Indies in the first match of the inaugural World Twenty20 tournament today.

The match will be preceded by an opening ceremony described by Cricket South Africa as ''a musical celebration of South Africa and Twenty20 cricket'', which will involve the crowd.

The 20-over format has been embraced enthusiastically at domestic level in South Africa, and Tuesday's match is among several in the tournament that have been sold out for the past month.

All nine current test-playing countries will feature in the tournament along with Kenya, Scotland and Zimbabwe.

The 12 sides will play 27 matches in Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town over the next two weeks.

The final is scheduled for Johannesburg on Sept. 24.

Reuters>