The first week has been a really, really enjoyable one, and I’ve been fortunate enough to be involved with the competition and work on several of the games. There is a lovely feel around the tournament, particularly because it is an inaugural competition being played in Voorburg in Amsterdam. What makes it especially interesting is the mix between many of the top international players and a number of emerging Associate players. 

I think that concept works extremely well. It gives some really talented Associate players the opportunity to spend time around top international cricketers, learn about the game, experience what it is like to be out in the middle and compete in those important moments. They are able to learn not only by playing but also by being around players who have achieved so much in the game. That, for me, is one of the biggest strengths of the competition. 

I spent a week there, watching and working on six or seven games, and there were some great names from the game involved. You have Steve Waugh, Rahul Dravid, Jonty Rhodes, Matthew Hayden, Trevor Bayliss and Glenn Maxwell, among a number of other players and coaches. Their roles are slightly different across the teams. Some are coaches, some are co-owners, some are owners and some are captains. Glenn Maxwell, for example, is both captain and owner, which gives the tournament a slightly different feel in terms of how the teams are being run. 

Despite all of that, there is a really nice and relaxed atmosphere around the ground. More importantly, the players appear to be genuinely enjoying themselves. Certainly, the feedback I have had is that the players are really enjoying the experience. 

As far as the business model is concerned, that is well above my station, so I cannot really comment on that. But I genuinely hope the business model works because I truly hope this competition develops some permanence and is able to continue year after year. That would be fantastic for the tournament and for the players involved. 

The competition is being played across the Netherlands and Ireland this year, with the second part of the tournament moving to Malahide in Dublin. So there is a mixture of venues and countries involved. The sides feature players from Scotland, Ireland and the Netherlands, alongside overseas players and 

Associate players from around the world. That international mix is another reason why I think the concept is so appealing. 

I could not be more complimentary about the way the competition has been put together. I know there have been problems in previous years in trying to get it off the ground and get it up and running, but clearly a huge amount of good work has gone into it. Now, importantly, the competition is up and running. 

Looking at the teams after the first week, Belfast Wolves, for me, are one of the strongest sides, if not the strongest side. They are led by Glenn Maxwell and have Mark Chapman in their line-up, while David Miller has just arrived and played his first game. They look a very, very strong side. They have won two of their three games and also had a washout, with a little bit of rain affecting some of the matches. 

The Rotterdam Dockers also look very strong. They are led by Faf de Plessis and have a very South African feel to their set-up. Faf is a co-owner, Heinrich Klaasen is also a co-owner and Jonty Rhodes is involved as well. Anrich Nortje is one of their overseas players, while David Wiese from Namibia is one of their players as well. They have started well and, like Belfast Wolves, look to be one of the stronger sides. 

The Dublin Guardians have a very Indian feel to them, with Rahul Dravid being one of the owners and R Ashwin captaining the side. They have struggled so far and have not been at their best. They have played three of their ten

group games and lost all three, so there is a little bit of work to do for Ashwin and the team if they are going to turn things around. 

Ashwin has not got much turn from the surface so far. The conditions have been a little slow, and the ball has been sliding on, so he will be looking to turn things around pretty quickly as the competition progresses. 

As far as individual performances are concerned, the games have been dominated, as you might expect, by some of the overseas players, particularly the bowlers. Mitch Santner has picked up a five-wicket haul, which is the first time he has achieved that in a T20 game. Trent Boult has also taken his first five-wicket haul in T20 cricket, while Nortje has done the same. That shows the level of success some of the international bowlers have already had in the competition. 

However, when you look across the overseas and Associate players, there are several names that are worthy of discussion. They have not all necessarily had brilliant starts, but there is a feeling that some of them could be building momentum for their careers and futures through a competition like this. 

Yuvraj Samra is one of those players. Many people might have seen him score a hundred in the T20 World Cup earlier in the year for Canada. He is playing for Amsterdam Flames and made a little cameo yesterday, but he looks like a player with huge potential. A tournament like this could really help him kick on because he is getting the opportunity to mix with some of the great players in the game. 

I know he is spending time with Steve Waugh, who is one of the owners and heavily involved with the Flames. For a young player, being around someone of that experience and stature can only be a good thing. 

Bas de Leede is another player from the Flames who is certainly worth keeping an eye on. He made a telling contribution in the first game and was hugely impressive. Again, I think Bas de Leede from the Netherlands is someone who could be worth watching as the competition progresses. 

Harry Tector from Ireland was also very impressive. He scored 75 for the Dublin Guardians and made a strong start to the competition. He already plays for Ireland and does a good job there, but he was someone who stood out during the opening week. 

Jack Jarvis from Scotland has not made a significant contribution with the ball so far, although he did pick up a wicket and looks like a good bowler. When you watch some of these players for the first time, there are certain individuals who simply stand out a little bit, and he might be one of those players worth keeping an eye on. 

Brandon McMullen, also from Scotland, has not really made a major contribution either and has had more of a cameo so far. But he is hugely talented. This is exactly the sort of competition where, by the back end of it, after a month of cricket and after spending time with international stars, coaches and owners, you could expect his game to move to another level. 

Jai Moondra, who plays for Ireland and opens the bowling for Ireland, is another player I would be watching. He has not made a hugely significant start to the competition either, but I would expect him to make more contributions as the games unfold. 

So, ultimately, I have really enjoyed the first week. I think it is a great concept, and I really hope it has longevity. The combination of top international players, talented Associate players, experienced coaches and people involved in different roles gives the competition a very different and

enjoyable feel. Most importantly, it creates an opportunity for emerging players to compete, learn and develop while sharing the environment with some of the biggest names in the game. 

For me, that can only be good for the players and, ultimately, good for the game. I genuinely hope the competition continues year after year because it has the potential to be something with real permanence, and it has been a great experience to be part of it in its first week.