The man behind this year’s inaugural Cheltenham Premier T20 is hoping to expand the competition next season.

Sathya Prakash Timmaraju, a Cheltenham businessman and Cheltenham Cricket Club player, is looking to set up a Gloucester Premier T20 to run alongside the Cheltenham Premier T20.

“Two groups of six with the top two from each going through to an all-day finals day at Cheltenham Cricket Club,” said Prakash, who played for Cheltenham Spartans in this year’s Cheltenham Premier T20.

“You’ve got to think big, the players should feel they are playing in a big tournament.

“They should have the satisfaction of playing a good level of cricket in front of spectators.”

The coloured clothing, music, pink balls and light up bails, not to mention the prize money on offer, has certainly generated plenty of interest in this year’s competition, which is why Prakash is looking ahead to next season with such optimism.

Prakash said nothing was confirmed at this stage for 2024 but added that he was pleased with the way the Cheltenham Premier T20, the final of which takes place this evening, had gone.

“Overall I’m happy,” he said. “It’s been well received by the clubs and well supported.

“It’s the first year of the competition so it’s been a learning curve in certain aspects.

“A couple of teams have said that having an 18-man squad was too small so that’s something we may look at.

“And in hindsight we should have deducted points in the group stages if teams conceded a game.”

When Prakash spoke to The Local Answer in April, he said that the plan was to use a white ball in 2024 but that may not be the case now.

“The players like the pink balls,” said Prakash. “They swing at the start but when a batsman hits them they just fly.”

The ball should be flying to all parts at Cheltenham Cricket Club tonight when Hatherley Hurricanes and Dumbleton Dynamite face-off in this year’s Cheltenham Premier T20 final, a match that was postponed last week because of rain.

“It will be a cracking game,” said Prakash, who has hired a DJ for this evening and is expecting a crowd of around 200.

Hatherley and Dumbleton are two of six teams who played in the competition, overcoming Tewkesbury Royals and Cheltenham Spartans respectively in the semi-finals to book their places in tonight’s showpiece occasion.

Hatherley had earlier topped the group stages, winning all their games, including a 51-run victory over Dumbleton last month.

Charlton Super Kings and University of Gloucestershire Giants were the two other teams who played in the group stages.

The winners of tonight’s game will receive £800 in prize money with the runners-up getting £400. The four other teams who took part in the group stages will each be given £200.

Tonight’s Varistha Cheltenham Premier T20 final starts at 6pm.