Jason Lewry is hoping the new Twenty20 Cup can help relaunch his one-day career with Sussex.

The 32-year-old has played just 14 limited overs games for the county in the past three years but is a surprise inclusion in the squad for the launch of cricket's first new competition for 30 years tonight (5.35pm).

Hampshire expect a full house of 9,000 at the Rose Bowl for the Sharks' visit and Lewry is relishing the opportunity to prove himself in the 20 overs a-side format.

He said: "I haven't played much one-day cricket since my shoulder injury so I was pleasantly surprised when I was named in the squad. Director of cricket Peter Moores told me I'm a good fielder, can slog at the end and that my bowling speaks for itself.

"I didn't expect to be part of it so this is a great shop window for me to be involved in 45 overs cricket again.

Games will last less than three hours and the ECB hope the shortened format will attract a new audience to the game.

They are pulling out all the stops tonight with a pop concert after play featuring chart band Mis-Teeq.

Lewry says that after some initial scepticism, the players are looking forward to the competition, especially the prospect of playing in front of big crowds.

"I remember a one-day game at Old Trafford back in 1995 where there were getting on for 9,000 in the ground. But apart from Chris Adams and James Kirtley none of our guys will have played in front such big crowds so that will be a new experience for a lot of us.

"I'm all for it. A lot of people can't commit to watching cricket for the whole day so it's great that you can take your family along and see a good game in less than three hours, especially if the weather is good."

Lewry will only need to bowl a maximum of four overs, but he is aware that it could be a painful experience.

"The format isn't designed for bowlers, that's for sure," he added. "The crowds will turn up expecting to see the ball disappear into the crowd all the time which is fair enough.

"So if you go for six runs an over or less I think you can consider you've done a good job. The good thing is that it's a new competition so no one knows what will happen, but it's quite exciting to be part of it."

Sussex (from): Goodwin, Adams, Montgomerie, Innes, Prior, Ambrose, Zuiderent, Lewry, Kirtley, Martin-Jenkins, Davis, Ahmed.

Hampshire (from): Kenway, Crawley, Katich, Kendall, Pothas, Mascarenhas, Wasim Akram, Prittipaul, Hamblin, Udal, Mullally, Giddins, Smith.

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