'Twenty20 is not cricket'

Dubai: Michael Holding has aimed a three-headed spear at Twenty20 by branding the style "just pure entertainment", claiming "it is not even cricket" and admitting he is "not a believer" in the sport's shortest form.

The West Indian legend's assessment of the fast and furious version of the game seems harsher than most others who have questioned Twenty20's integrity.

Yet, despite his stand, he feels Twenty20 is doing the sport a world of good because it has helped "attract an audience that would have otherwise been least interested" in understanding the nuts and bolts of the game.

"I am not a follower and I am not a believer in Twenty20 cricket," said the West Indies fast bowling legend, who attended the International Cricket Council (ICC) forum in Dubai to discuss Twenty20's impact on world cricket.

Not interested

"It is here because it is exciting and people want to watch it.

"So it's fine as long as there is enough space for all three forms of the game (Tests and one-dayers), but personally I'm not interested in Twenty20, I simply don't follow it."

Holding though, followed a number of his contemporaries into the rebel World Series Cricket revolution sparked by the late Australian media mogul Kerry Packer in the 1970.

He says he was happy to have been part of the group.

"I am happy to have done that. The World Series was great for me; I was offered a contract and I went, played and enjoyed it," Holding said.

The tall and lanky Holding was one of the fastest bowlers of his generation and his deadly pace and quiet approach to the bowling crease earned him the moniker of "Whispering Death" from the umpires.

Praise

Holding was part of the terrifying West Indies side that ruled cricket in the 1970s and early 80s and he represented the Caribbean nation in 60 Tests and 102 one-dayers, accounting for 249 and 142 dismissals respectively.

At 54, his globetrotting continues to this day, however, having retired long, long ago, his stingers, if any, are limited to those delivered verbally and from behind the commentators' desk. Holding has never pulled punches and he is not about to start now.

As merciless as he was venting out steam regarding Twenty20, he is generous enough to lavish praise on cricket's best marketing tool ever.

"Twenty20 has attracted a great deal of support and interest and I think it has brought in people who would have normally not been watching the game so that's very, very good.

"But as Twenty20 attracts new viewers it is important to make sure that this new audience appreciates other forms of the game as well because you want the game to grow and you want all aspects of the game to grow."