THE region's longest running cricket knockout cup competition - the 30-year-old Southern Electric Cup, played for by top clubs - is set for a major overhaul next summer.

Clubs will be asked at next Thursday's Premier League annual meeting to approve proposals for change to a strict Twenty20 format game, complete with free hits and power plays.

Under the plans, ties will be played on Sunday afternoons - as opposed to midweek evenings - with an orange ball used instead of the traditional red one.

The 20-over SE Cup-ties have traditionally been played on Tuesday and Thursday evenings.

"But people are finding it increasingly difficult to leave work early to get to 6.15pm start matches, particularly when they involve travelling some distances in the peak rush hours," said competition manager Mike Vimpany.

"It is massively difficult to access some grounds off the motorways. In any event, there's a general feeling the existing 20-over evening competition has become stale, tired and is due a total revamp."

The Southern Electric Premier League consulted fellow ECB leagues in Kent, Middlesex and Sussex before drawing up plans for the 2008 season.

"They've pioneered these T20 games for a year or two now and the feedback has been very positive," said Vimpany.

"We've subsequently circulated all our clubs and there's been some helpful feedback there too.

"Generally speaking clubs appear agreeable in principle' to the idea of bringing the competition into line with the hugely popular world-wide game and play it under strict T20 rules and regulations."

The SEPL's idea of playing Twenty20 matches on Sunday afternoons is planned to inject much needed life into Sunday cricket.

Vimpany said: "A short-form T20 game will be done and dusted inside three hours, making it attractive to the family man cricketer. The opportunity will be there for clubs to lay on BBQs and such like and make these T20 games a real family day.

"After the financial blows clubs suffered through this summer's bad weather, they'll be desperate to recoup money across the bar.

"I honestly think this new competition will prove very popular with players and spectators alike.

"We won't be starting the competition until mid-July, so interest in the Cockspur Cup will be limited to one club, at the most, by then.

"The dates are set aside from the Cockspur Cup and Dorset and Wiltshire Minor Counties Champ-ionship matches. We want the best players turning out in our T20 competition, simple as that."

The SEPL does acknowledge clubs like Alton, Andover and Bournemouth, who play in existing Sunday League competitions, may have a problem in joining the T20 Cup.

"All three have been consulted, but none of them has provided any feedback, as yet," said Vimpany.