On the brink of a quiet revolution

There are some unappealing jobs out there. Spin doctor for George Bush. Marketing man for Skoda. Naomi Campbell's flight assistant.

Did you spot the odd one out? Yes, Skoda managed, somehow, to turn its image round. In the nineties it was a car nobody wanted to buy, in the UK at least. A Skoda was perceived as unreliable and unattractive. Some heavy investing from part-owners Volkswagen and some fundamental improvements to the cars' structure later, however, they suddenly they had something worthwhile. The image still lagged behind but one day the public's understanding finally caught up. Skodas were now okay to love.

Women's cricket has had an image problem as well - not quite the ugly sister of the men's game but certainly a boring one. That tag was arguably justified for some time. Quietly, though, over the last few years something has happened to the women's game. They've maintained their correct play, but now they hit over the top too; their fielding is as sharp as ever and they can bowl fast, although they accept they haven't got the power of the men.

The changes have come about following investment from individual boards, and lately, the ICC. The game has improved out of sight. It still remains largely out of sight, however, which is the next hurdle: gaining exposure.

But now comes their big chance to shine in next year's World Twenty20, the schedule for which was announced yesterday. The players are hugely delighted, rightfully. It's something they couldn't have dreamed about even ten or 15 years ago, when they were expected to fund tours and blazers and so on themselves. These days they have the kit, some funding - England players even have specific contracts to assist their lives - and now they stand on the brink of something massive.

It's their first ICC tournament played alongside the men, and the women have three key matches in which to seize the day - and the imagination. The semi-finals, which will be played before the equivalent men's ties at Trent Bridge and The Oval, and then the final at Lord's. The fact that they have been trusted to stand up on the world stage is a big compliment for the women, and their game ought to be further lifted.

Curtain-raisers have already had a massive effect - 28,000 caught the end of Australia-England women's Twenty20 at the MCG in February this year, before the Australia-India men's game. It's a great idea and an easy one for TV companies to manage too. There are no extra set-up costs for cameras or staff - everything is in place. Plenty of spectators who catch these games become instant converts and, crucially, say they would go again. It's a familiar tale.

Given the importance of exposure, it's a shame that all of the group matches are being buried in Taunton, away from the men's games. Somerset can't be faulted in their efforts to welcome women's cricket, but they can't help their geography. New Zealand's captain Haidee Tiffen gamely called on the New Zealand public in London to make the four-hour return trip - "Kiwis always support Kiwis, so I hope that a lot of them will take the train ride down to Taunton" - but even if they come once, it's unlikely they would do so for all three matches there.

As a result, it's likely that the public's imagination will only be caught in the semi-finals and then final, which puts much more pressure on those three matches.

Then again, maybe it's a good thing that some of the group matches are hidden away. Not all of the sides are guaranteed to offer top-quality women's cricket, while there's a good chance that the Big Four - India, New Zealand, Australia and hosts England - could feature in the semis. They may have in mind the disastrous staging of the Afro-Asia women's Twenty20 before the men's last year, an embarrassing affair that did not showcase the women's game in its best light.

Of course the boards will be hoping to eventually make a return on their investment. Marketing men are slowly waking up to the fact that there are plenty of women who would be interested in the game if they can be tapped, somehow.

India's fast bowler Jhulan Goswami has seen an increase in public recognition. She has been stopped a few times after the publicity surrounding being voted as the ICC's Female Player of the Year. Goswami thinks the effect of a successful campaign could be equivalent to that of India's men winning the World Cup in 1983. Wishful thinking or realistic dream?

Only time will tell, but we should know by now that Twenty20 cricket moves in mysterious ways. The IPL may have blown the roof off salaries and expectations, but the most unlikely revolution in Twenty20 could still be yet to come. The touchpaper just needs to be lit.