Cricket Australia is revamping its domestic Twenty20 competition, which will now see city based teams competing on the lines of immensely popular Indian Premier League.
According to a report in the 'Daily Telegraph' the approval to new concept is the biggest upheaval in cricket in that country since the Packer years and is Australia's answer to the Indian Premier League.
In the revamped competition, city-based teams will replace the existing state-based teams. For instance, there will be a team based in Brisbane, rather than Queensland, with new colours, new branding and a new identity.
The size of the domestic T20 competition will grow from 17 to 31 games and two new teams will be added from the from growth areas. Twelve regions are being considered including the Gold Coast, Geelong, western Sydney, far north Queensland, Canberra and central Victoria.
"This could force the time-honoured Shield competition to shrink from 10 games to eight," the report said adding that "despite opposition from the states, the new T20 competition will replace the existing Big Bash from 2011-12."
The city-based teams will be designed and marketed to create a tribal-like following, particularly among young fans who are the game's core audience.
CA spokesman Peter Young said the initiative is aimed at popularising cricket in the Rugby crazy nation.
"The board has approved the six city-based teams with a very different look and branding to the existing state teams. There will also be two new teams from regional or growth areas which will be developed and set up with the help of CA," Young told the newspaper.
"Twenty20 cricket is about entertainment and we want this competition to be summer's equivalent of the AFL or NRL with a really passionate following. The city-based teams will give the fans a sense of relationship and ownership," he added.
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