Brown aims to secure a win double

Time was when only club cricketers got to play twice in one day. But tomorrow the professionals of Surrey hope to get the chance to double up at Trent Bridge on the first-ever finals day of the Twenty20 Cup.

Surrey are among the four teams hoping to negotiate both semi-finals and final in front of a sell-out crowd as a competition conceived to fill the long summer days reaches its climax amid maximum razzmatazz.

No one is more supportive of the new format than Alistair Brown, Surrey's blaster batsman who is one of the ever-presents from their five qualifying games.

He said: "People have made a lot out of the fact that it would be tough to play two games in one day.

"But that would only be the same as one 40-over match and that used to be the shortest form of the game that we played.

"I think there will be a full house and you get a big adrenalin buzz from the atmosphere so we are really looking forward to it and hoping we get the chance to play twice."

In the semi-final Surrey face Gloucestershire at 2.45pm - roughly 45 minutes after Warwickshire have played Leicestershire in the other semi-final. The final is then scheduled for 7.15pm.

Brown, who has scored 78 runs at a strike rate of 125.8, admits that the competition suits his style of play.

Tomorrow, the total attendances for all matches should pass the 250,000 mark - more than double the number who watched the now defunct Benson and Hedges Cup, which had more games.

Brown said: "I think the Twenty20 Cup has been very positive. The ECB have struck gold with this competition.

"I had my doubts at first and no one really knew what it would be like but after we had 12,000 people at our first game, I was convinced.

"It has been a real winner and I think it's here to stay.

"Some counties went for the razzmatazz but at Surrey I think we were quite traditional.

"The important thing is that the crowds and atmospheres have been good.

"It is entertaining cricket and the good weather we have had has played a big part, but it has been attracting younger supporters to the game which has got to be a good thing.

"Football might not be as popular as it is if games lasted for six hours and if we are converting people to cricket then that has to be encouraging.

"I do not think it is bad for a player's technique either. You just have to accept that it is different to a four-day game. You won't start playing different shots and I have found that at first I tried to hit the ball too hard whereas people who played properly and positively have got the best results."

Yet the England Cricket Board are unsure about how best to capitalise on this year's success.

There has already been talk of an extended format next season when the competition will have to compete with football's European Championships.

But Brown is among those calling for minimum change, believing that the existing competition format represents an instant ratings winner.

But for now the 33-year-old former England batsman is more concerned with tomorrow's contests.

"I think we winged it a bit in our first couple of games because we didn't have a practice match," he said, adding that he rates Gloucestershire as the form team going into finals day.

"It has become clear that one individual performance can swing a game and I am pleased to be opening the batting because it means I have got a chance to bat for 20 overs and get a good score.

"I don't think I have really come to the party so far in the competition but I think that I am getting my form back a bit now and hopefully I can show that tomorrow."

Surrey (from): Ian Ward, Alistair Brown, Scott Newman, James Benning, Mark Ramprakash, Graham Thorpe, Adam Hollioake, Rikki Clarke, Azhar Mahmood, Jonathan Batty, Saqlain Mushtaq, James Ormond, Martin Bicknell, Ian Salisbury

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