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David (ICL) vs. Goliath (IPL) |
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Pitched By Saul Pereira
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Monday, 24 November 2008 |
 My heartfelt congrats to Kapil Dev and the ICL team for this fabulous rendering of T20 Cricket just being played out again. Last year’s matches had been very entertaining, close encounters, and strewn with a slew of apt sidelights. The cheer girls and guest artists were suitably chosen and their dances and choreography well executed; TV coverage is totally satisfying with two channels to boot; good umpiring and a variety of innovations with the showpiece.
I am so pleased to hear Dino’s voice again, with his exhilarating, refreshing and rapid-fire commentating along with his other eminent colleagues. The repeat this year is even more entertaining. What with crowds in Ahmedabad reaching forty thousand plus in the league rounds itself! Cricket has truly come out the winner no doubt, and out of the BCCI closet and monopoly.
Now it is time for BCCI & ICC to grow up and accept this tournament, or at least, to lift the ban on these players from being selected to represent their respective countries. It will certainly be a sad loss to some outstanding youngsters who have proved their mettle in this competition, to remain sidelined due to the immaturity of these parent bodies, and the immature parent figures managing them.
The truth is that the tournament is played as per the cricketing rules, in total contrast to the Packer Series, which was started to circumvent the system for commercial ends. Besides, BCCI has now filled its coffers in an unprecedented comportment through IPL, and ICL offers no competition. It would therefore seem as truly sporting if it embraces this contest, or at least accord it due recognition. This is always good for cricket, so if BCCI is genuine, then cricket should become the winner and all of us, the cricket loving public, will get to share in great tournaments that will firmly place India as the Mecca of modern cricket. The Pakistan (dilly-dallying as of now) and Sri Lankan Boards it seems have lifted the ban of its players from participating in their domestic tournaments! Why can’t the BCCI?
If the parent bodies fail to be sporting, I am afraid that the Biblical phenomenon of David defeating Goliath might become a reality, at least in the minds of the public. Lalit Modi and his entourage have shamelessly taken pot-shots at a fledgling tournament just because they are sitting pretty on a pot of gold. Kapil is suddenly become the ‘Devil’ after having served Indian cricket admirably; and he definitely does not deserve this kind of treatment, for promoting the game after all!
 I am surprised that not one of the current cricketers has gambled to comment or recommend the amalgamation of this venture into the main stream. Is that not monetarily driven by their vested interests? Sadly the media too has played down the situation. This year however with Timesjob.com sponsoring the Chenai team, the Times of India have quickly grabbed the occasion to accord much paper space for this year’s coverage. Time serving or publicity stunt? Newspapers are the least bit affected, yet stand to benefit from the coverage of one more exciting tournament. This step-motherly treatment is a shame to this country, which is now growing in leaps and bounds as a nation to reckon with in so many fields. Surely we don’t want to stifle entrepreneurship in this great game, even if it has business overtones.
With the extraordinary cash flow with BCCI’s IPL, is that not a business enterprise then? Come on Goliath take on David but be sporting about it will ya!
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