Too monotonous?
Are entertainment shows at the beginning of each match in the Indian Premier League getting too monotonous? At least in Bangalore it seems to be the case. A live concert and a laser show followed by a lap of the ground by Kannada actress Ramya has been pattern for the last two matches… May be the organisers can think of something different to break the monotony.
Talking of concerts, the one conducted on the day by famous Kannada music director Gurukiran fell below expectations. While the choice of songs could have been a lot better, the composer did succeed in whipping up local sentiments. His presentation of the late Kannada thespian Dr Rajkumar's hit number -- huttidare Kannada nadalli... -- getting the crowd on their feet and saving the show from being totally unimpressive.
Sporting indeed!
Contests between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu always generate great excitement among the followers of the game in respective states. By the same token the match between Chennai Super Kings and Bangalore Royal Challengers should have been a needle contest of the IPL. But the way the Bangaloreans cheered for the Chennai batsmen, one wondered if the edge between the two sides is a thing of the past now. In fact on the match eve New Zealand's Super King player Stephen Fleming had said that Indians just love their cricket and "it's not just the parochial attitude of wanting your team to win." Way to go Bangalore!
The visiting side too had its own a significant travelling support base, dressed up in yellow – the Chennai team's colour. In fact there was a fair bit of yellow at the M Chinnaswamy stadium on Monday evening. Besides the players and fans, the cheerleaders of both teams were clad in the same colour giving reds – the Bangalore colour – a good competition off the field as well. Unlike the Bangalore cheer girls, however, the visiting group was fully covered up, perhaps preempting any moral policing!
Unlucky 13?
In this slam bang of version of the game, there is little time for everything, least to follow your rituals (or superstitions?) prior to the match. Aussie Matthew Hayden has a practice of 'meditating' on the pitch on each match eve. But the left-hander, who arrived here only on Sunday, had little time to go through his ritual. In stead the big-hitting player spent close to ten minutes on the track shadow practicing before start of the match against the Challengers. That, however, didn't seem good enough for Hayden, as he was dismissed for a mere 13.
Mascarenhas arrives
A buoyant Rajasthan Royals team, already with its tail up after three consecutive victories in the high-profile Twenty20 Indian Premier League, is further bolstered by England all-rounder Dimitri Mascarenhas’ arrival in Jaipur on Monday. An official close to the Rajasthan Royals team said while Mascarenhas reached Jaipur, Darren Lehmann of Australia will be flying back.
Gayle unlikely to play West Indies opener Chris Gayle is unlikely to play in the Indian Premier League following detection of a hairline fracture in his groin. Gayle was taken to a private hospital on Monday by team physio Andrew Leipus where an MRI detected the problem. Gayle has been off the field due to the injury sustained during the third one-day international against Sri Lanka earlier this month.
