Aussies flock to first Twenty20 match

The limited overs cricket phenomenon which has already made a big impact in England seems set to have a similar effect in Australia.

The limited overs cricket phenomenon which has already made a big impact in England seems set to have a similar effect in Australia after the first competitive Twenty20 match was sold-out at the WACA ground here Wednesday.

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The match, which as the name suggests is limited to 20 overs per side rather than the 50 over limit of traditional one-day matches and also includes rule changes designed to speed up play, was between state teams Western Australia and Victoria.

The venue was packed to capacity with officials shutting the gates more than half an hour before the first delivery as more than 20,000 people turned up to watch the fixture which Western Australia won by eight wickets.

It was the first sell-out for a cricket match at the venue since a one-day contest between Australia and the West Indies in 1981.

For Western Australia, Luke Ronchi smashed a quickfire 67 from just 24 balls. At one stage the 23-year-old belted five sixes from 10 deliveries and his half-century came off just 20 balls.

Test star Shane Warne took one of Victoria's wickets but he was otherwise smashed by the Western Australian batsmen, finishing with 1-32 from 2.1 overs.