SYDNEY, Australia, CMC - Former West Indies cricket captain Sir Vivian Richards has pleaded with cricket administrators to maintain the integrity of conventional 50-overs-a-side cricket in the wake of the Twenty20 phenomenon.

RICHARDS. Twenty20 is just in its baby stages. It shouldn't take away from one-day cricket.

Richards' plea came as former Australia Test and one-day international player Greg Blewett said he believed a Twenty20 World Cup was only a matter of time and a Cricket Australia official acknowledged that the ruling body was excited about the prospect of an international competition.

Although supportive of the Twenty20 concept, Richards said he would not endorse any move to promote the 20-over version of the game at the expense of one- day cricket.

"I hope it doesn't take the place of 50-overs-a-side cricket," said Richards, also a former West Indies coach and chief selector. He added: "Twenty20 is just in its baby stages. It shouldn't take away from one-day cricket. That should always remain."

Twenty20 made a staggering introduction to Australia last week with the WACA Ground in Perth seeing a full house on Wednesday night for the first time in 24 years. The following evening in Adelaide another 20,000-plus people turned up to see Australia A squaring off against Pakistan, the latter of whom are preparing for their VB Triangular Limited Overs series opener against the hosts.

Richards, who scored 6721 runs in 187 ODIs, said that one positive aspect to the Twenty20 phenomenon was the huge crowds it attracted.

"The thing that amazes me is how rapid it is," Richards said. "If we're all cricket lovers, it means that we are winning in some capacity because it's an addition to the game that people appear to be embracing."

He added: "It's a new way of getting people through the turnstiles and getting more bums on seats. I am in favour of anything that moves the game forward."

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