Marcus North, skipper of Western Australia Warriors is certain that the Champions League Twenty20 will be a big hit.

By Rajarshi Gupta

Speaking exclusively to espnstar.com, North said he was looking forward to some quality cricket when the mega event gets underway on December 3.

"T20 is a great concept. We are all very excited about Champions League Twenty20, which I am sure will be one of the toughest tournaments around the world."

North went on to say that the two Indian Premier League teams taking part in Champions League Twenty20 - Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Super Kings - would provide fierce competition: "In fact not only the IPL teams, all the other sides will make sure the tournament is really hard fought."

North was also quick to admit that none of the eight teams playing in this year's inaugural event should be taken too lightly.

"There will be no easy games," he said.

'We are all aware of the tough competition that lies ahead of us. That is the Aussie cricket culture as well. Tough and fierce cricket all through."

"Middlesex Crusaders are coming off a successful outing in the English season and they will be tough to crack. So there are basically no favourites."

North is looking forward to captaining his side against childhood hero Shane Warne, who will lead the IPL champions Rajasthan Royals: "It is a great opportunity for all the guys in the team to play against world class players like Warne. I have played against him in domestic cricket before but it will be something else playing against Warnie at an international platform."

"Similarly, I have also captained against Matthew Hayden when he turned out for Queensland in the Australian domestic season."

North said he was also excited at the prospect of playing against Indian star MS Dhoni, who will skipper the Chennai Super Kings: "It definitely sets the pulse racing to know that we might be up against a player like Dhoni."

The skipper, who led the Western Australian Warriors to the finals of the KFC Twenty20 Big Bash, before losing to Victorian Bushrangers in the final by 32 runs, said the spirit in which the recent India-Australia Test series was played would spill over to the Champions League T20: "The kind of contest that we saw during the Tests will certainly have an impact during the tournament."

"Both India and Australia play hard cricket and it would be a great opportunity for domestic players of both countries to lock horn against each other in the company of their international stars."

Contradicting Hayden's recent statement that India was a Third World country, North said the atmosphere in India would only serve to enhance the excitement and fun of T20: "The atmosphere in India, the noise, the crowd will only enhance the excitement around Champions League T20."

"It is a dream come true for all of us to go and play in India and we are all looking forward to it."

The Western Australia Warriors will start their 2008 Champions League Twenty20 campaign against the Sialkot Stallions in Bangalore on December 4 and North for one, is as keen as ever to grab some Aussie glory in India this winter.