Yorkshire are fighting what appears to be a losing battle to prevent 20-overs evening matches from becoming part of the county cricket programme next season.

The First Class Forum are expected to vote in the new tournament at their meeting at Lord's on Thursday - and at the same time throw the Benson and Hedges Cup on to the scrapheap from 2003.

But the moves are being strongly opposed by Yorkshire whose chairman, Keith Moss, has voiced his disapproval to fellow members of the Forum.

"I have written to the chairmen of each of the 17 other counties explaining why we are opposed to 20-overs cricket but all the signs are that it will go through," said Moss.

"In my opinion it is absolute madness and I cannot understand the thinking behind it. Neither can the vast majority of Yorkshire members who were almost unanimous at the annual meeting in their disapproval of this proposed new form of the game.

"The thinking is that 20-overs cricket will attract young people but it will be rubbish cricket with all the fielders around the boundary edge and no skill attached.

"It is planned to start these games at 5.30pm but who is going to struggle through rush hour traffic to get to Headingley or anywhere else at such a time for this sort of competition?

"Yorkshire are also very much against the abolition of the Benson and Hedges Cup which we think gets the season off to a very good start and we would be extremely sorry to see it go.

"Instead of bringing in a truncated version of one-day cricket which will breed bad habits we should be working hard on finding ways to make four-day games even more attractive to watch.

"We still believe passionately in Championship cricket at Yorkshire and remain convinced that it is the only way to bring on potential England players. It is a competition which should be strongly promoted instead of being constantly criticised.

"I don't expect us to win the day at the First Class Forum but we will continue to make our voice heard."

If the Forum brings in 20-overs cricket in 2003 it is intended that the competition will be played over a two-week period in June.

Updated: 11:10 Tuesday, April 09, 2002