6:30am Monday 30th August 2010
By Michael Reeves
JUST as Worcestershire Royals find a way to win the Clydesdale Bank 40 competition — it draws to an end.
The New Road side may have taken eight attempts in Group ‘A’ to find a winning formula but when they did they did it in style.
But just how worthwhile is a tournament that has 12 group games and then goes straight to the semi-finals?
With the three group winners going straight through, 18 sides are left to battle it out for the one remaining spot as best runner-up.
And just how much have Holland, Scotland and the Unicorns, who visited New Road yesterday, added to the tournament?
The Dutch and the Scots have done very little, while the Unicorns have sprung a number of surprises and might have given themselves an opportunity to return to the first-class game.
But surely a competition with so many dead rubbers needs to find a way to be more competitive from start to finish?
If a 40-over tournament is still required, then either turn it back to a straight league format — remember last year when it went down to the final ball of the season?
Maybe add a quarter-final stage or even perhaps make it a knock-out competition from the start.
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