The Big Bash League - how's it doing?

Everybody loves a T20 tournament. The new monikers, bright coloured kits, music, fireworks, sixes, and of course, the overseas superstars. The IPL has been afflicted by political turmoil and the worries over owners' finances. The English T20 system has led to complaints of 'over-burn' from players. Could Australia's overhaul of their domestic one-day system succeed?

When a crowd of little more than 12 000 showed up to the SCG to watch the tournament opener, the organisers must have had a few nervous thoughts. Despite the empty seats in the stadium however, couches and armchairs all across Australia were occupied, as the first game's ratings dwarfed those of last year's final! Since then, both ticket sales and television views have gone from strength to strength, with Shane Warne's debut for the Melbourne Stars generating the fourth-highest audience in television pay-TV history, and the semi-final at the WACA between the Perth Scorchers and the Melbourne Stars selling out in just half an hour.

The tournament so far has provided some scorching entertainment, namely in the form of blistering centuries from Luke Wright, David Warner and of course, Chris Gayle. Will it however, rekindle the interest of Australians in non-Ashes test matches? Only time will tell!

More to come! Stay tuned...