da dobrowin: What’s the purpose of the IPL? To sell the dream, of course

da pinup bet: Alan Gardner19-Apr-2023:”Friends, patrons, brand partners – welcome to tonight’s show. We are here to entertain you in the round. Have you got your body paint? Handmade signs? Ear defenders? Great, please get comfy. As we like to say at IPL: the Opera, ‘Nessun dorma’ – certainly not given how late this thing’s going to finish.””Anyway, we’re just about ready to go… Let’s head down to the middle!”Related

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“HEEEeeeaaaAAAADDDdddssss!” Spotlight on the match referee, played by Hugh Jackman, theatrically gesturing to giant floating coin:“Yes, maaaate, it’s HEEEeeeaaaAAAADDDdddssss!” “We’ll have a bowl, deck looks flat and dew factor may come into play later.””Looks like we have a review! Yes, the dugout wants another look at that decision from Rohit. Seems this is a used pitch and they might want to put runs on the board after all. Let’s see what the technology says. Rock and roll the cameras… and then we can all get ready to rock and roll!””Well, we’ve just seen some of the most incredible entertainment you will ever see but now it’s time for a break – and while we’re on subject of gripping spectacles, can I interest you in buying some tyres?”

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England’s Test team under Brendon McCullum – not to mention New Zealand when he was Black Caps capo – have become the equivalent of handmade, ethically sourced, carbon-neutral, 100%-right-on-and-did-we-mention-vegan knitwear, so it was interesting to note that the ECB is “exploring” its head coach’s advertising arrangement with a bookmaker. Admittedly, this wasn’t quite the Full Shakib (anyone still getting updates from Betwinner News?), and McCullum’s style of leadership has always betrayed a gambler’s instinct. But the blazers at Lord’s might think Baz has taken his “run towards the danger” mantra a bit too literally here.

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The story of the early rounds of the County Championship – other than incessant rain – has to be news of Pep Guardiola being successfully blocked out by tailender’s tailender Mohammad Abbas, after Hampshire rebuffed a request for the Manchester City manager to take Abbas’ Southampton hotel suite for a few nights. Given his meticulous nature, you’d imagine Pep has subsequently done his research and been appropriately impressed by Abbas’ deft control of seam and swing. Guardiola recently revealed that his three idols in life are Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods and Julia Roberts. Perhaps the Light Roller is just a foolish romantic, but might there be room for Mo Abbas to join that eclectic list?

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