THE increasing prominence of the Twenty20 format has led to a big rise in the number of spectators watching county cricket, despite the miserable weather last summer.

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The ECB announced today that domestic attendances in 2008 had risen by 23 per cent from 2007 to a total of 1.5 million, a figure unprecedented since data was first collected with the formation of the ECB in 1997. When including international games, attendances rose by 10 per cent, with more than 2.2 million spectators logged in 2008, the highest figure yet logged.

The public appetite for the Twenty20 Cup showed no sign of dwindling. With more matches on the schedule, total audiences rose 36 per cent to 593,717. The longer form produced encouraging returns, with the much maligned NatWest Pro40 recording a rise of four per cent. The Friends Provident Trophy crowds slipped, though interest remained significantly higher than 2005 when straight knockout was abandoned for the group system borrowed from the defunct Benson & Hedges Cup.

According to the ECB, the LV Championship attendances topped half a million for the first time since 2003 and rose 30 per cent on the previous year, probably because of greater interest in Durham in their title season.

The ECB chief executive David Collier said: "Many counties have invested heavily in their facilities, offering a vastly improved spectator experience which, coupled with some thrilling cricket in 2008, ensures the fabric of our sport remains strong."

CHARLIE SAYS: County cricket is a better prospect for spectators than it used to be, though there is plenty of room for improvement. Thought could be given to introducing more imaginative trailer food -- financially motivated franchises don't seem to work very well from the eating point of view -- and I think it is time to scrap admission charges for four-day cricket, especially for the third and fourth days.