Ways in which the Twenty20 Cup has changed in the past six years:

Length of tournament: In 2003 there were 45 group games, semi-finals and a final. By 2008 there were 90 group matches, plus quarter-finals before finals day.

Form: Teams have become specialists. In 2003, Middlesex came fourth and Kent third in their group. Essex and Durham both came fifth at group stage in 2003.

Hundreds: In 2003, there was only one century, by Ian Harvey, who made 100 not out against Warwickshire. This year there were five, which equalled the total in 2004, 2005 and 2007, but the pick was Graham Napier's 152 not out for Essex against Sussex, which beat Cameron White's previous tournament record of 141.

Speed of scoring: Harvey's hundred in 2003 came off 50 balls. Andrew Symonds made a hundred off 34 balls in 2004, which remains the record. Napier's first hundred runs took 44 balls but he took only 14 balls to make his next 50 runs.

Lop-sided victories: Runs: in 2003 the biggest win was when Warwickshire beat Glamorgan by 68 runs. Essex beat Sussex by 128 runs this year. The previous record was 117 runs, by Somerset over Gloucestershire in 2006.

Wickets: Gloucestershire's ten-wicket win over Somerset in 2003 has been matched by Glamorgan against Gloucestershire in 2005 and Lancashire over Derbyshire, this year.

Balls remaining: Sussex beat Hampshire with 63 balls to spare this year, which beat Gloucestershire's win over Somerset in 2003 by five balls.

Tense finishes: Only one game in 2003, Leicestershire against Nottinghamshire, was won on the final ball. Four matches this year came down to the last ball, equalling the record in 2006.

Highest totals: In 2003, there were two totals above 200. This year there were seven. The best year for high totals was 2006, with 14 scores of more than 200. Somerset's 250 for three against Gloucestershire was the pick.

Sixes: The most sixes hit in an innings is 17, by Essex against Sussex this year (16 of them for Napier, below). The previous record was 13, hit on five occasions. The record in 2003 was 11 sixes, by Gloucestershire.

Best bowling: Andrew Hall took six for 21 for Northamptonshire against Worcestershire this season. The previous competition record was six for 25 by Tim Murtagh, of Surrey, against Middlesex, in 2005.

Most runs conceded: James Kirtley conceded 67 runs in four overs for Sussex against Essex this year, beating Matthew Hoggard's record of 65 runs in 2005. In 2003, Graeme Welch suffered the most punishment, with 58 runs off four overs for Derbyshire.

And one way in which it hasn't: For all the money splashing around in the Twenty20 form, the ECB has not increased its largesse. Prize-money: 2003: £42,000 2008: £42,000