After four seasons of unqualified success, the Twenty20 format that the ECB gave to the world is suffering its first bout of unwanted publicity. Poor weather, poor behaviour and, on Thursday, a poor England side have all checked the progress of a game that has changed the demo-graphic of cricket spectators.

Such is the concern within the ECB that David Collier, the chief executive, this week called an emergency meeting of the first-class counties to discuss what can be done to save the 2007 competition.

Adding an optional extra hour to the scheduled finishing times and hiring four more super-sopper machines are short-term measures that may make a difference on the margins. Next season there may be reserve days, further indication of the importance that counties now place on Twenty20 as a source of revenue.

Collier, with obvious echoes, described 20 overs as “people’s cricket” and “the season centrepiece for domestic cricket supporters”. Traditionalists will say that the championship remains preeminent and that the board should give greater publicity to the four-day game, but we all know what Collier means.

Given that the ECB is ultimately powerless against the weather, the deterioration in crowd behaviour this year is a more serious concern. And, tucked away at the bottom of a press release from the corporate affairs department yesterday, came acknowledgment that something must be done.

The board is to host a day-long seminar designed to share best practice in crowd management and to seek to eliminate unruly behaviour. “Whilst infrequent at cricket, it is a matter which the ECB and the counties wish proactively to ensure does not creep into the game,” the statement said.

Evidence of the first two weeks of the Twenty20 season suggest it is too late. On the opening night, supporters at Grace Road invaded the outfield before the final ball, thinking that the game was over, and then ignored public-address pleas by running across the square at the end.

Problems at Southgate, where several players had items stolen from the dressing-room and the Hampshire team coach was stoned, received widespread publicity. More and more, it seems that Twenty20 crowds are coming to resemble the brash, loud groups who follow their football clubs. No doubt the first group to feel alienated will be the people — women and families — for whom the game was designed.

The ECB must share the responsibility. By encouraging supporters to become more active in their support of the national side rather than watch passively, it set the process in motion. Nothing grates more than the idea being put about that enjoyment cannot be derived from concentrating on the game.

At least the first Twenty20 international between England and West Indies passed without obvious crowd problems. Concerns were restricted to the 15-run defeat that extended England’s run of losses to four matches. It seems that England will not select a specialist 20-overs side for the inaugural World Championship in South Africa in September.

Paul Collingwood, the captain, has said the players will be able to adjust to Twenty20. But when? There are no more games between now and September. Barring a change of policy among the selectors, what we will have then is what we have seen this week. England had a head start on their rivals, but are in danger of being lapped.