Calls for rethink after failure of inaugural Twenty20 Festival

Several clubs failed to participate at the weekend, while others fielded weakened teams and Edinburgh's three top clubs sent a combined side to face Heriot's. Of nine scheduled groups four were scrapped, three were disrupted by call-offs and only two went ahead as originally drawn.

One leading club official said: "What is clear from Saturday's experiment is that there is insufficient enthusiasm for the festival in its current form.

"Many players took a Saturday off and you can't really blame them because there was no incentive to play - no points, no prize money, nothing. Everyone accepts that T20 is an increasingly important form of the game but there has to be a competitive element.

"I don't see why Cricket Scotland shouldn't look at the model in countries like Australia where clubs play in different formats that all count towards the one championship. That would make more sense."

Following Saturday's damp squib, Cricket Scotland may feel they should simply to consign the event to history, although another option might be to use the occasion as a high-profile curtain-raiser to subsequent seasons. However, there is growing support for the suggestion that T20 should be incorporated into the SNCL season.

The action that did take place was dominated by overseas professionals with Greenock's Tim McIntosh hitting five sixes in an over and Stenhousemuir's Rushdi Jappie smashing 98.

New Zealand Test batsman McIntosh only arrived in the country on Friday having been held up for more than three weeks by a combination of immigration red tape and the effects of Chilean volcanic ash on air traffic.

The man who has come to Scotland to fill in for Australian professional Luke Butterworth, and unlike many of the players who bodyswerved the event, he for one was grateful for a bit of practice in a group involving Dumfries and hosts Ayr at Cambusdoon.

McIntosh top scored in both games as Greenock shrugged-off indifferent league form to record two victories.

Elsewhere, the groups at Weirs, Kelburne, Drumpellier and Arbroath fell to a combination of indifference and continued inclement weather while Grange, Carlton and Watsonians fielded a composite side against Heriot's at Goldenacre.

Unconventional as that game was, it did at least produce an exciting finish with Heriot's winning by one wicket from the penultimate ball of the contest.

In matches reduced to 16 overs a side, Penicuik beat Edinburgh Accies at Kirkhill but were denied a second victory when SMRH's Mark Burgess hit a six off the last ball.The festival spirit was also embraced at Scroggie Park where Premiership Forfarshire pulled rank over Championship pair Falkland and Freuchie.

Only one match was completed at McKane Park where hosts Dunfermline Knights posted 181-3 with Wynand Schmitt hitting 70 not out before taking three stumpings to help restrict Stenhousemuir to 127-7.

Stenhousemuir then recorded 143-5, of which their South African professional Jappie contributed a magnificent 98, before rain had the final say with Stirling having reached 35-1 in their reply.