DIMI Mascarenhas has hit out at plans to extend the English t20 Cup fixture list.

The Hampshire t20 skipper is critical of the ECB’s decision to play games mainly on a Friday night over a far longer period of the domestic season from 2014.

He believes it will result in fewer box office overseas stars coming to play in England.

Mascarenhas was speaking ahead of tonight’s home game against fellow South group high-fliers Essex at The Ageas Bowl.

A sixth victory in eight games will go a long way to securing Hampshire’s quarter-final spot as they bid to lift the cup for the third time in four years.

This year’s t20 group campaign has been spread out far longer than previous years – 35 days in 2013 compared to 26 last year.

And that will be extended still further in 2014.

“I'm not a fan of the t20 spread throughout the year, I like it in a block,” declared Mascarenhas.

“Then you can get the best overseas players and you can have the best tournament possible.”

Mascarenhas revealed earlier this week that he is retiring from all forms of the game for Hampshire this September.

It is believed the county offered him the chance to come back in 2014 and just play t20 matches.

But the extended format is one major reason why Mascarenhas turned the chance down.

“Spreading it out, that’s another reason why I couldn’t come back,” he outlined.

“I don’t want to stick here for six months just to play 20/20 cricket.

“It doesn’t make any sense.

“I’m pretty sure other players don’t enjoy it. “You want the best overseas players to come and play the full thing and have a really strong tournament.

“You look at the overseas player who have come for this season, like David Hussey, Dwayne Smith, Andre Russell, Sean Tait.

“You’re not going to get these sort of players to come all season and play on a Friday night.”

The ECB revealed back in October last year that they would be extending the t20 format in 2014.

A statement said: “The ECB Board noted the strong desire from counties and spectators to create an ‘appointment to view’ for T20 cricket spread over a longer period of the season.”

There is no doubt that attendances at t20 group games this season have been up on recent years.

Hampshire attracted a crowd of over 9,000 for the Friday night clash with south coast rivals Sussex, while last Sunday’s game against Kent saw over 6,000 at The Ageas Bowl.

The Royals are confident of a crowd around 7,000 tonight as well.

Counties generally have been delighted with Friday night games.

Back on July 5, over 65,000 people attended the eight group games with sell-outs at four derby clashes – Derbyshire v Nottinghamshire, Somerset v Gloucestershire, Surrey v Middlesex and Yorkshire v Lancashire.