The shortest form of the game was introduced to third, fourth and fifth grade competitions for the 2013-14 season and top grade skippers have told the Mercury they are all for playing T20 cricket in first grade.

But with the competition featuring seven teams already playing one-day and two-day cricket, issues with introducing a third format have risen.

Fairness of the competition, with teams playing each other home and away and whether or not to make Twenty20 a stand alone competition appear to be the biggest issues.

The Mercury spoke to six of the seven captains and they unanimously agreed that T20 cricket should be part of the season.

Eastern Suburbs captain Andrew Vickery said while the idea of T20 cricket is popular, implementing it would be difficult.

“I definitely think it has to be in but finding the best way to do it will be hard,” he said.

“I’ve spoken to a few other blokes about it and it sounds like everyone wants it.

“Personally I’d love to play Twenty20 cricket, we’re the only comp around that doesn’t seem to have it.”

Western Suburbs skipper Tom Irwin said Maitland cricket would fall behind rival competitions without introducing T20 cricket.

“I’d support it, we are behind the times big time if we don’t bring it in,” he said.

“They are even playing Twenty20 cricket in junior rep games, everyone seems to be playing it except us.”

Thornton Park captain Ricky Dent said he would support the concept but that T20 should have its own competition.

“I think it should be a stand alone competition,” he said.

“You could have it on a weekend like the old 10-over comp and get everyone to it.”  

Maitland District Cricket Association president Wayne Trappel said there were no immediate plans to make Twenty20 cricket part of the first grade competition but the association would do what the clubs wanted.

“We only do what the clubs tell us,” he said.

“If we all came up with an agreement we could do it but at the moment everyone wants it but no one knows how to do it.

“Midweek there are not enough grounds with lights, you’d have to start at 4pm to make sure you’re finished by 6.30pm.”

Trappel said making sure the competition remained fair was the biggest challenge.

“At the moment we can’t amalgamate T20 with full rounds of one and two-day cricket,” he said. “Keeping it an equal competition so everyone can play each other equally and finding the equality of it is the biggest challenge.”