the battle lines have been drawn, the points system revamped, though that would be posted a bit later.
For now, savor the moment looking at the impressive ensemble we have managed to gather.
This IPL, YouTube will not be the only innovation. 8 Blogs will, for the first time, collaborate to give the best possible no holds barred coverage on a global sporting event.
What one blog can’t do on its own, 8 can do together.
Imagine, every game covered with two perspectives. Mouth watering, innit?
Take a look:
A full set of simple rules will be posted sometimes in the mid-end of February.
Finally, here is the lineup. Note that the Nationality of the blogs have been pertaining to the flavor of their writing and not the place where the bloggers actually live.
May the best blog win.
just heard that the last four games of this season would be telecast in high definition 3D, at a cinema, pub or bar near you. Most probably if you are in India, that is.
If you are not satisfied with that, the same four games will also be kitted with take-it-anywhere-in-the-air spider cams. Add to this the you tube news, and you get a series of sports broadcasting firsts. Here is what Lalit Modi had to say:
We are going 3D… and we’ll be the first sporting body in the world to do so. I have seen the presentation, it’s very expensive but from next year onwards, we hope that we’ll be able to make it available for all games. This year we’re experimenting with four games—last four games will be 3D. It’s a major innovation, it will be available in cinemas, pubs and bars. We also want to introduce the spider cam wherein the camera actually moves across the ground like a spider web. Again it’s a hitech thing and we will be introducing it for the last four games. The IPL is here to build a brand and build on the consumer experience. Our job is to enhance the viewing features of the fans at home and in the stadium.
so far so good. But why did he have to keep repeating that the thing cost a lot. He is sitting on a fucken pile of millions. Of course he can spend that much so that we can have a refreshing experience.
I am no sucker for modi, but he has indeed changed the way we look at cricket here in India. Kudos for that. I would certainly include him in one of my #ff on twitter. Someday.
Another thing I find interesting is that Modi has taken the unnecessary moral responsibility of giving every piece of breaking news straight from his own bloody mouth. Maybe all this rests on his idea of “my baby, i get to do everything”. I sometimes get the feeling that if he was free enough, he would announce all umpiring decisions himself.
Coming back to the 3D experience, I am having goosebumps just trying to imagine watching a cricket game in more than two dimensions. About time as well.
Can’t even wait for it.
Bring on the IPL, this blog is ready.
This is part 1 of a 3 part series on why both Modi and Cairns are right in this public altercation. Despite all this, it isn’t exactly a win-win.
Part 1: Why Christopher Cairns is right.
Lalit Modi had an interesting tweet fly out of his twitter account yesterday. It was to the effect that Chris Cairns would not be a part of the IPL Auctions to be held soon. The reason – he was allegedly involved in match fixing and the IPL could not afford to be associated with anyone with a tarnished image.
Upon receiving the tweet I was appalled at first. Something did seem out of place. When did Chris Cairns fix a match? Weren’t the Black Caps supposed to be among the jolliest of cricketers around? In fact, they are too jolly to be allowed to compete at the world stage.
Remember the time when the ICC decided to constitute a whole tournament, the Champions Trophy, just so that New Zealand could win something to keep the motivation going.
If you ever had the time to Google “New Zealand Players involved in Match Fixing”, you won’t find much to write home about, apart from a few incidents in non-cricketing sports, and maybe this blog post. These are good people we are talking about.
But if that is so, then why the sudden furore about match fixing?
Why does Lalit Modi allegedly think that Chris Cairns was allegedly involved in Match Fixing? The answer lies in one decision which the Indian Cricket League (ICL), the rebel league of which Christopher Lance Cairns was an enthusiastic participant for 2 seasons, took.
You see, sometime in October 2008, this piece of news shocked the world, or tried to at least:
The Indian Cricket League on Monday announced the suspension of former India batsman Dinesh Mongia and former New Zealand all-rounder Chris Cairns in a two-line statement issued by its press office. The two players represented the Chandigarh Lions, of which Cairns was the captain, in the ‘rebel’ T20 league. South African Andrew Hall has been named as the team’s replacement skipper.
But, while ICL officials were tight-lipped on the issue, declining to come on the record to reveal further information on the suspension, a senior source in the league told The Indian Express that the step had been taken due to allegations of “under-performance” against the players.
According to the source, an enquiry has been ordered and, if found guilty, both players would be penalised. “Till then, they’ve only been suspended,” he said.
“Under-performance is a serious threat to ICL. We’re worried over players with hefty contracts taking their association with the ICL too lightly and not performing to their potential. Under-performing cricketers set a bad example for others and bring the league to disrepute. But the honeymoon period for such players is over.”
Source: The Indian Express Website..Oct 28, 2008 at 2343 hrs
Interesting. The fact that Indian Express seems to be one of the very few newspapers which covered this angle of the story. Other publications went with the more default “Cairns reported for the camp unfit, and Mongia knew about the former being unfit” theory, if you didn’t already know.
The important issue here is that the ICL never officially stated that the said players were involved in Match Fixing or Underperforming, but there were sufficient under-the-surface rumours, of course inadmissible under the court of law.
Hence, Chris Cairns appears to be right as it will be difficult to prove that he was involved in match fixing. Thus, the allegations would, in a fair legal scenario, be baseless.
Coming Soon: The other half of the story. Why Mr. Modi is also right.
Watch this space.
Dinesh Mongia is also barred from the IPL, but he is not bothered. Allegedly.
Saurav Ganguly has developed a knack of defying all public opinion and make astonishing comebacks. This one cannot be categorised as a comeback though. After all, he was never quite out of reckoning. With the IPL-3 scheduled to be held in India, the Kolkatans would have surely smirked at a McCullum captaining their side with their prince riding the boundary.
So the news is finally out. Saurav Chandidas Ganguly has been reappointed captain of the Kolkata KnightRiders.
In another irrelevant piece of news, Dav Whatmore is the new coach of the Kolkata KnightRiders. There is little information about the chemistry between Whatmore and Ganguly, but knowing both of them, there is soon going to be some trouble brewing. Unless KKR win. As if that is going to happen.
Ganguly, when approached, said that he doesn’t want to say anything on this matter apart from “thank you Shah Rukh”.
I shall distance myself from this back-scratching, and take your leave for now.
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