NEVER mind the Oval, Avenue Road is where the real T20 entertainment has been this week with crowds in their hundreds watching Banstead Rams U19s.
Banstead have become the poster boys for the ECB's new project – the NatWest U19 T20 competition – which aims to replicate the success of the NatWest T20 Blast at county level, while keeping teenagers interested in club cricket.
Currently top of their group, the young Rams drew a crowd of more than 400 spectators for their game against Sutton Scorchers, with the ECB coming to film the festivities as they look to roll the competition, currently being piloted in four counties, nationwide.
Banstead secured a nail-biting single-wicket win over the Scorchers on Monday, and then followed it up with a more comfortable seven wicket win over Addiscombe Academy on Tuesday night, again watched by hundreds.
And Rams manager Jamie Stainer, whose son Josh is the captain, believes the new competition has been a huge success.
"It's been a lot of hard work organising it, but it's been a great experience and the boys have loved it. There's been a great vibe at the club," he said.
"The idea was to emulate the way T20 is played at county level with the entertainment and the atmosphere.
"The visiting club rates their experience as a whole; Banstead have live music, a barbecue and cheerleaders and we were rated highly so the ECB came down on Monday to use us for promotional material."
The Rams have played all their Surrey Group B fixtures but face a nervous wait to see how Ashtead finish the season, with a place at the county finals awaiting the winner, and a possible chance to play in the national finals.
Having already seen many Banstead players go on to play for counties, the future is bright for the next generation.
"We try to put a lot of focus on coaching the colts and we've seen quite a few go on to represent county sides," Stainer said. "Matt Spriegel, Tommy Lancefield, Rory Burns and Matt Dunn all played for Banstead as colts with Rory and Tommy having been at the club since they were six.
"The new crop of players have been very successful. They won't all make it [professionally], but if we can increase the likelihood then that's good."
