[Boojum]

The IPL is back (and back live every day on ITV4 )

Yesterday's opener between the Chennai Super Kings and the Mumbai Indians was a bit disappointing, Chennai were poor. I reckon this year could finally be Mumbai's year, with the pressure of captaincy being taken off Tendlukar to allow him to just go out and do what he does best (and Harbhajan as captain has something to prove after being dropped from the Indian team).

Today it's Kolkata Knight Riders vs Delhi Daredevils.

[JiffreyBoycott]

I knew I'd regret not getting my aerial cable replaced, d'oh!
Some mouth breather slashed through it on "mischevious night".
Well it was mischevious I suppose. Fucking annoying n'all!

[Boojum]

Disappointing second match too this time cos it was delayed by monsoon-like rain and shortened to only 12 overs each. But Delhi's bowling attack destroyed Kolkata giving them an easy win.

Maybe it will all kick off properly today with 2 games, Mumbai Indians v Pune Warriors and Rajasthan Royals v Kings XI Punjab.

Probably won't be online again for a bit, I'm reduced to using an internet cafe again cos my computer died the other night so I'll say in advance I'm looking forward to tomorrow, I'm cheering for the Royal Challengers Bangalore again this year. Chris Gayle is just phenomenal in this form of the game, a huge man who wields his bat like a WMD plus they've got AB De Villiers, Virat Kolhi, Tillakaratne Dilshan and Murali, with Daniel Vettori as captain (got a lot of time for Vettori), that's a pretty decent lineup IMHO

[strawberry]

I really wish the IPL took place a month or two later. There's still a few weeks left in the domestic and european rugby comps, the county cricket has just started, I'm still trying to get my head around KP's playing silly buggers in Sri Lanka and then the first bit of IPL I see is Deccan Chargers vs Mumbai Indians with players talking to the umpires the way I see players talking to the refs in other sports. A month of county cricket, before I lose interest in rugby for the summer, would have been a great lead-up to the IPL, but at the moment the IPL is far too much of a head-fuck.

[PaulHackett]

I just can't see the point of the IPL tbh, not from my armchair anyway.
Just more fat-cats getting fatter imho.

[PaulHackett]

Does any of this money trickle down to the grass roots?

Would anyone even know?

And what is the difference between this and the 'sweat shop' culture nobody gives a fuck about?

This post has been edited by PaulHackett: 12 April 2012 - 12:56 AM

[PaulHackett]

I take back everything I said, I'm watching it now, I'm hooked!

I'm supporting Kings XI Punjab

[Boojum]

PaulHackett, on 12 April 2012 - 03:57 PM, said:

I take back everything I said, I'm watching it now, I'm hooked!

I'm supporting Kings XI Punjab

Takes a bit of time getting your head round it if you're a fan of 'proper' cricket, the 5 day game (which I am), but the way I look at it is it is to test cricket what 5 a side is to football and sevens is to rugby, sort of - you need to get your head round the idea that a run a ball is pretty much a below par scoring rate at most grounds, and so revise your whole notion of what constitutes good batting and good bowling. And once you take it on it's own merits I think it's a fantastic format, with some truly outrageous shots (I think the best so far has been AB De Villiers' 'reverse Dil scoop' for six, just an unbelievable shot). There have been some belting good games, I reckon the best so far was Chennai Super Kings vs Royal Challengers Bangalore in Chennai, RCB setting a massive total of 206 and CSK getting it on the very last ball - was gutted that RCB lost cos I'm cheering them on, but it was a great game. The competition is a lot closer so far this year, anyone (except the Deccan Chargers) has a chance.

This post has been edited by Boojum: 25 April 2012 - 09:48 AM

[Boojum]

Anyone else been watching ?

IMHO it's been the best IPL yet, so many games going to the final over (the final ball even). And RCB still have a chance of making the playoffs

Christopher Henry Gayle has been fucking awesome (again), even if you're not an RCB fan I think you gotta say he's been the star of the tournament. On average a six every one and a half overs (more often than that actually) and HUGE sixes too . Truly astonishing batting - it ain't test betting but it's great to watch.

And Sunil Narine has been the find of the tournament - potentially the best spinner since Murali perhaps , nobody can work out his action (and even when they start to I think he'll still be a great bowler, he's got variation and the kind of nouse that makes a great spin bowler - I reckon the lad is gonna be a superstar). He should be in the Windies test side. In fact there are a fair few players who are in the IPL who should be in the Windies test side. I'll start a new thread about the Tests cos as us cricket fans know, it's a totally different thing