tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6691219939930045300.post400866066023464956..comments2023-11-02T18:51:25.885+11:00Comments on Down the wicket: IPL - spectacle or sport?Cris Cochranehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04966824752959729517noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6691219939930045300.post-29537042447351394152009-04-30T09:49:00.000+10:002009-04-30T09:49:00.000+10:00Even Barack Obama looked more comfortable with the...Even Barack Obama looked more comfortable with the cricket gear than Dorkmeister Howard.Nospmas Lihpnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6691219939930045300.post-82405863930665504492009-04-30T07:03:00.000+10:002009-04-30T07:03:00.000+10:00at least we won't have lt johnnie failing to make ...at least we won't have lt johnnie failing to make it halfway down the wicket when bowling for the media!<br /><br />if the edia need a pollie for cricket/pr wank-a-thons i'll vote for brumby to do it. he is a handy tweaker from the stuff i've seen!Cris Cochranehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04966824752959729517noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6691219939930045300.post-77439206141798474812009-04-25T13:32:00.000+10:002009-04-25T13:32:00.000+10:00And being seen with 'winners' means troops oversea...And being seen with 'winners' means troops overseas, Aussie popstars, noted media personalities etc. Anyone politicians believe are respected or oggled over will be approached by a sleazy twat wanting a photo. <br /><br />For more examples of politics and cricket being linked think about Zimbabwean players boycotting representing their country and of course apartheid. Politicians influence (even dictate) selections in some places (mainly subcontinent to my knowledge, but I wouldn't be surprised if in West Indies or Africa). Unfortunately the relationship between sport and politics is unavoidable: even though it is undesirable.leftriteoutnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6691219939930045300.post-89204644831089048222009-04-25T12:22:00.000+10:002009-04-25T12:22:00.000+10:00politics and sport are inextricably linked. Pollie...politics and sport are inextricably linked. Pollies want to be seen with winners and supporting their national side as a kiss arse to the community; teams and individuals need to navigate through international protocol, ethnic tension, cultural divides, et al.<br /><br />whilst i agree IPL is driven by money, the fact is, people have short attention spans, this is the fast food outlet of cricket and gives a quick fix to ADD's of the world.<br /><br />if promoters are happy to drop some cash to get more cricket into the calendar, i'll take it. I say that as someone who thinks test IS cricket- and could watch every ball of 5 days... but we are the exception.Cris Cochranehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04966824752959729517noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6691219939930045300.post-41444219876738954892009-04-25T11:55:00.000+10:002009-04-25T11:55:00.000+10:00Good points Nospmas. I agree that sport and politi...Good points Nospmas. I agree that sport and politics get lumped together too readily but to me they are inexorably linked. The reason IPL is not being played in India this time? Indian elections. Why are Aus playing Pakistan in UAE? Terrorism. Many sub continent teams have historically not fielded players or have underplayed them because they do not speak the right language, belong to a different religion or culture and so on. <br /><br />I guess the reason for my article is an attempt to draw some positives from a situation I deplore: but it is here to stay. I agree that in every sense the IPL is more about money than anything else. Players themselves are probably less concerned about their team's position on the ladder than they are about the state of their bank account. Where else (ie what sport) do we see so many retired players competing? Why are they competing? If it's not for money you'd expect to see them playing in club cricket at least. I don't believe McGrath, Hayden or Gilchrist are doing this.<br /><br />Nospmas I sense that while you are a purist (and therefore THE MAN) you are also an idealist to some degree. I'm speaking from a fatalist point of view. I think it's a shame that cricket has been trivialised by 20/20 itself: let alone the invention of IPL. However, if we are to put up with 20/20 I'd rather see it in this format than pointless one-offs tacked onto the end of a tour between nations. The fact that we have had a World 20/20 immediately (and as farcical as that is) upon it's inception indicates the world cricket's intentions.leftriteoutnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6691219939930045300.post-59410974654302426282009-04-24T21:46:00.000+10:002009-04-24T21:46:00.000+10:00oh yeah, good write up Lefty. nice to see another ...oh yeah, good write up Lefty. nice to see another perspective considered.<br /><br />A.Gilchrist to be forced to fill S.Marshes position while injured!Cris Cochranehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04966824752959729517noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6691219939930045300.post-46305299510866784042009-04-24T21:43:00.000+10:002009-04-24T21:43:00.000+10:00ah, family bbq's... the only time i've ever made a...ah, family bbq's... the only time i've ever made a ton- even though my cheating cousins did everything they could to run me out; it seems as a 13 year old you still need to back-up heaps when playing tippity-run with a 3 year old at the batting end! bloody bumpkins!<br /><br />but to business: welcome aboard Krish, thanks for commenting. i too would like to see the I change to International and if we really have to have a team/club/league of T20 then make it international and make it work within everyone's test schedule. and to make that happen, kiss odi goodbye! it has served well but it is redundant as NL said, with neither the appeal or effective compromise between the game and the shortest form.<br /><br />if an international competition starts, i would like to see more two games in a day situations or even 4 in a weekend! take that to an major city and see how quickly you could get through the fixture!<br /><br />mmmm mmm, canned worms!<br /><br />stoph verismo<br />downthewicketCris Cochranehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04966824752959729517noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6691219939930045300.post-2745524932711629802009-04-24T13:19:00.000+10:002009-04-24T13:19:00.000+10:00Lefty I do agree with you that 50 over cricket is ...Lefty I do agree with you that 50 over cricket is in trouble. For pure cricket the 5 day game is still the one but 50 over cricket is stuck between the raw brutality of the 20 over format and the sublime endurance of test cricket. It might take 10 years for the boffins to accept but 50 over cricket will fizz out.Nospmas Lihpnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6691219939930045300.post-14310343582823764382009-04-24T10:52:00.000+10:002009-04-24T10:52:00.000+10:00Lefty it’s not that I don’t agree with what you ha...Lefty it’s not that I don’t agree with what you have said it’s just that I think you may have crossed that blurred line between sport and politics. When it comes to this I am a devout purist of sport. Too often sport is bandied around in the political arena and I can’t stand it. I really couldn’t care less if players from Australia hate each others guts as long as when they get out on the park it’s game faces on. <br />It’s not that I don’t think sport can be useful in breaking down barriers and as a good distraction to the horrors of the world it’s just that too often it is used as a crutch by the politicians.<br />I have no doubt whatsoever the players in the IPL are more concerned about losing the huge amounts of cash associated with this blood sucking competition than they are about losing the games of cricket themselves. This gimmick has had a diabolical impact on the cricketing calendar and will eventually dwarf the importance of the real stuff with the almighty dollar. Cricketing countries will not be able to compete and if the powers that be are not careful we as loyal fans will be left with far less test cricket so the players don’t wear themselves out for this type of high paying charade.<br />Bring on The Ashes.Nospmas Lihpnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6691219939930045300.post-62347358599595880362009-04-24T01:50:00.000+10:002009-04-24T01:50:00.000+10:00They should probably change the "I" in IPL from "I...They should probably change the "I" in IPL from "Indian" to "International" or drop it all together. That may make it easier to conduct it in other countries. <br /><br />Practically though, I think the huge crowds in India could be a factor in not letting it go outside India in the future.Krishhttp://blog.kridaya.comnoreply@blogger.com