< 1 minute read Alex writes: I watched the pre-match sunglasses-fest/pose-athon while tucking into Kashmiri lamb shank rogan josh. Unfortunately, my reluctantly embraced ‘no beer’ policy meant I enjoyed the main event in my room, accompanied by a bottle of Bisleri bottled water. What I like to call “the IPL ad endurance challenge” really
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Indian media coverage of the IPL and the fans’ view
< 1 minute read Indian newspapers and 24 hour news channels are awash with stories about Lalit Modi and the income tax investigations into all aspects of the IPL. The bombs at Chinnaswamy Stadium get a few mentions as well. We get the impression that most people here don’t particularly care about this; that
Continue readingIPL third place play-off match report
< 1 minute read Alex writes: Is there any sequence of words in the English language more exciting than ‘third place play-off’? I’m currently working on the horrifying theory that my internal issues might be caused by beer. This is not a theory I’m keen to see proven.
Continue readingDeccan Chargers v Chennai Super Kings, IPL semi final match report
< 1 minute read Alex writes: British Airways have given me the gift of time. First they offered me a flight 10 days after the one that was cancelled. Now, their phone line is so busy I am not even allowed to wait on hold. What to do with this time? I decide to
Continue readingMumbai Indians v Royal Challengers Bangalore, IPL semi final match report
< 1 minute read Alex writes: Having made my daily and pointless call to British Airways, I set about persuading myself that it was somehow acceptable to stay in a hotel far more expensive than any I’d ever spent a night in before. Having accomplished this to some extent, I prepared for my evening
Continue readingRoyal Challengers Bangalore v Deccan Chargers match report
2 minute read Alex writes: I wanted to watch an IPL match, so I went to India. I made Tronco come with me. Tronco is a massive cricket fan. Asked to name some England players, he managed three in 30 minutes: Ian Botham, Graham Gooch and Adam Gilchrist. Arriving at Bangalore Airport on
Continue readingBombs at Chinnaswamy Stadium Bangalore
< 1 minute read How did the locals respond when it was announced that the semi-finals of the IPL were being moved due to the fact that five bombs were found during and after the last match at Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore? To paraphrase one cricket fan interviewed in the Deccan Chronicle: “They were only
Continue readingDarling, I think I’m going to need… more ties!
< 1 minute read That’s the emotional climax of the Just For Men advert that we’ve seen about 18 times today while watching the IPL. We’ve gone through hatred and emerged the other side, joining in with the ‘more ties!’ bit, punching the air for emphasis. It’s astonishing the level of advertising you’re exposed
Continue readingHave you lost interest in IPL 2010 yet?
< 1 minute read We have a bit. It’s not so much that we don’t really care about any of the teams – you can get over that. It’s more the feeling that none of the matches actually matters yet. They’re still going to be playing in a few weeks’ time and maybe then
Continue readingSourav Ganguly – Kolkata Knight Riders’ main man?
< 1 minute read There can’t have been many sentences written about Sourav Ganguly more damning than this one by ‘Cricinfo staff’: “This is not the end of the road for Ganguly because he remains Kolkata’s brand image.” You’ll always have that, Sourav. You’ll always have your skills as a ‘brand ambassador’.
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