The Indian Premier League - good or bad for cricket?
It's the main talking point in cricket right now and it made its bow
last night in rather spectacular fashion. I am of course talking about
the Indian Premier League. The tournament which is causing much debate
as to the effect it will have on the game of cricket.
Brendon McCullum smashed an incredible 13 sixes on his way to unbeaten 158 for his new side Kolkata Knight Riders. It was the highest ever Twenty20 score and was achieved in front of a sell-out crowd of 55,000.
They weren't the only people in attendance though as many acrobats, singers, dancers and even cheerleaders where on hand to add extra excitement to the evening.
The involvement of such 'gimmicks' is where the controversy starts in my opinion. Is this really the future of cricket? When the Twenty20 World Cup comes to England, will there be cheerleaders at Lords? I don't think the members would take too kindly to that, or even the Barmy Army for that matter. It just wouldn't seem right.
What surprises me most about the players involved in the IPL, is their honesty when it comes to admitting they are doing it almost solely for the money. They are earning around £100,000 a week during their stay in India and boy don't we know it. Every interview where a player is asked whether they would consider playing in the IPL they respond 'Have you seen how much money they are getting? Of course I would.'
And
there
was me thinking they played too much international cricket, a line that
I'm sure I have heard in interviews before. This isn't the case any
more I guess, now money has become such an important issue to
cricketers. If the wages per week were halved, I think the
international players out their would be halved - at least.
Don't get me wrong, there are of course some positives to come from the IPL. It will be entertaining. McCullum's innings proved that. Some of the world's best cricketers have come together and I would find it hard not to enjoy a Sachin Tendulkar hundred, no matter how much I may disagree with the circumstances in which it was achieved.
Speaking of Tendulkar leads me onto my final point. Often referred to as 'The Little Master', he is the darling of Indian cricket. Every run he scores is cheered like it has won a test match and every time he is dismissed there is a huge sigh around the ground in disappointment. Some are at the match purely to see him.
However, consider this scenario - Delhi need one more win to secure victory in the final of the IPL against Mumbai. Tendulkar is on strike for the latter and fails to walk after clearly edging a Glen McGrath delivery to second slip. The umpire says not out and Tendulkar goes on to win the game for his team.
The interesting point here would be the reaction of Delhi fans to Tendulkar. Would they boo or criticise a man they worship in the same way Arsenal fans might boo Ashley Cole when he plays for Chelsea? It would be fascinating to see and would go a long way to showing exactly what effect the IPL can have on the beautiful game of cricket.
Brendon McCullum smashed an incredible 13 sixes on his way to unbeaten 158 for his new side Kolkata Knight Riders. It was the highest ever Twenty20 score and was achieved in front of a sell-out crowd of 55,000.
They weren't the only people in attendance though as many acrobats, singers, dancers and even cheerleaders where on hand to add extra excitement to the evening.
The involvement of such 'gimmicks' is where the controversy starts in my opinion. Is this really the future of cricket? When the Twenty20 World Cup comes to England, will there be cheerleaders at Lords? I don't think the members would take too kindly to that, or even the Barmy Army for that matter. It just wouldn't seem right.
What surprises me most about the players involved in the IPL, is their honesty when it comes to admitting they are doing it almost solely for the money. They are earning around £100,000 a week during their stay in India and boy don't we know it. Every interview where a player is asked whether they would consider playing in the IPL they respond 'Have you seen how much money they are getting? Of course I would.'
And
there
was me thinking they played too much international cricket, a line that
I'm sure I have heard in interviews before. This isn't the case any
more I guess, now money has become such an important issue to
cricketers. If the wages per week were halved, I think the
international players out their would be halved - at least.Don't get me wrong, there are of course some positives to come from the IPL. It will be entertaining. McCullum's innings proved that. Some of the world's best cricketers have come together and I would find it hard not to enjoy a Sachin Tendulkar hundred, no matter how much I may disagree with the circumstances in which it was achieved.
Speaking of Tendulkar leads me onto my final point. Often referred to as 'The Little Master', he is the darling of Indian cricket. Every run he scores is cheered like it has won a test match and every time he is dismissed there is a huge sigh around the ground in disappointment. Some are at the match purely to see him.
However, consider this scenario - Delhi need one more win to secure victory in the final of the IPL against Mumbai. Tendulkar is on strike for the latter and fails to walk after clearly edging a Glen McGrath delivery to second slip. The umpire says not out and Tendulkar goes on to win the game for his team.
The interesting point here would be the reaction of Delhi fans to Tendulkar. Would they boo or criticise a man they worship in the same way Arsenal fans might boo Ashley Cole when he plays for Chelsea? It would be fascinating to see and would go a long way to showing exactly what effect the IPL can have on the beautiful game of cricket.
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