The London Daily News

London Assembly members are making a bid to have Twenty20 Cricket included in the 2012 Olympics

Members at City Hall passed the motion to get organisers working with the International Olympic Committee and get the short one dayers at the Oval.

Last week Assembly member and cricket fan Murad Qureshi, who spearheaded the idea, told the authorities to "get their act together"

Not on final games list

A spokesman for the Olympic Delivery Authority spokesman said cricket was not on the final list of 26 sports for the London Games.

Adding:

"If the International Cricket Council wants the sport considered as a future Olympic sport, they would need to discuss this directly with the IOC – as they decide which sports are included within their Games."

Bosses at the Oval ground said they would love to be involved - the last time cricket was played at the Olympics was at the 1900 games in Paris.

The twenty20 divide

The popularity of Twenty20 cricket has excited and divided the sport, some calling it an "Americanisation" of the game - similar to what has happened to Rugby League. But record attendances, night matches and increased sponsorship as well as the global appeal of cricket mean 2012 could be a good punt.

An ICC spokesman said:

"We only gained IOC recognition less than a year ago and there are several steps to go through before cricket could be played at the Olympics."