Adam Parore: 10 out of 10 for Twenty20 slogfest

A rating for the debut appearance of cricket's new baby? Ten out of 10.

The Twenty20 match at Eden Park was everything I expected it would be: tremendous entertainment, a resounding bang for the punter's buck and an eye-catching way to attract new spectators.

Let's face it, if you can get through a contest of 40 overs in a shade over 2 1/2 hours, you've got an all-action spectacle.

Okay, the quality of the cricket was pretty ordinary. It won't improve our cricket. It was essentially two 20-over slogs, but two points struck me forcibly on Thursday night: the best specialists in "normal" cricket will still be the best performers in Twenty20, such as Ricky Ponting and Brett Lee; and that this was a wake-up call for the International Cricket Council.

For years, teams have dragged their 50 overs out for 3 1/2 hours, not because they need that amount of time but because they can.

The ICC, who will have watched Australia's 44-run win over New Zealand with keen interest, should immediately chop the time limit per innings for 50-over internationals back to three hours.

Ditch the drinks breaks and stop people running out on the field every other over. What a difference that made to the speed at which the game moved along.

If they're looking to jazz up the 50-over game, that's an easy first step. Get a game over and done with in six hours instead of eight.

As for the beige and the hairdos, I thought it was brilliant, given what the night was about.

I admit I didn't expect Hamish Marshall's Afro look, and although it would not work in a standard black-uniform ODI, it was fine for the occasion.

I bet many in that crowd of almost 30,000 hadn't been to an ODI in over a year, so New Zealand Cricket will be delighted to have got a near-full house, both in terms of revenue and from the point of getting more minds tuned into the possibilities of a new version of the game.

A lot of people will want to watch the next one, and it is something cricket fans, the diehard and the casual, will want to experience.

I know of many women who enjoyed the night, just because it was quick, bright and breezy with no downtime.

What to do with Twenty20?

I'd see it as an ideal introduction to incoming tours each season. England have the Duchess of Norfolk's XI at Arundel Castle, Australia like kicking off with a festival game at Lilac Hill outside Perth. Why not Twenty20 at Eden Park and retain the beige? It would be a distinctly New Zealand way to welcome the visitors.

Perhaps there is scope for a tri-series if there are three teams in the same part of the world over a weekend.

But I'd suggest NZC want to be careful it doesn't overcook this egg. Otherwise it runs the risk in due course - and this might sound strange two days after such a brilliant introduction - of Twenty20 becoming a bit old hat and tired.

So what did each team take out of Thursday night in relation to the opening ODI in Wellington today?

I've no doubt Australia set out to put their foot on New Zealand's throat, even if it was meant as a fun night out.

Ponting will have wanted to gain any psychological points on offer.

He batted magnificently, basically playing cricket strokes, not airy slogging. It was his way of sending a message to the New Zealand bowlers of what lies ahead.

No New Zealand player got more out of the match than Scott Styris, who had the chance for a decent look at the Australian bowlers, found the middle of the bat and hopefully found some confidence.

I suspect New Zealand's bowlers are going to get a pasting at the death in the ODIs. We don't have anyone really up to the job.

It's all very well for Andre Adams and one or two others to announce that they want the job - if you can do the business you get to be first man picked - but I don't think he's quite quick enough.

None of our bowlers are, so it comes down to finding who is most likely to get it right up there most often.

Don't be surprised to see Stephen Fleming's fingers crossed behind his back as he lobs the ball to someone five overs from the end today.