Talk of Gladiators and the Lions
Posted on February 20, 2008
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India’s rich have set records of a new kind and this time it’s the cricketing world which is really sitting up and watching when there biggies really dig out the moolah and put it on the tables for the stars to play. On Wednesday the people really pulled out money to stock up on talent for their teams in the upcoming cricket tournament.
Chennai splashed out $A1.74 million for Indian One-day captain MS Dhoni while Hyderabad paid $A1.47 million for Australia’s Andrew Symonds at a glitzy auction to determine who plays where in the Twenty20 Indian Premier League (IPL) starting in April. I wonder where was Controversial Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh(monkey controversy man) who was signed by Mumbai for $US850,000, while Bangalore bought Indian test captain Anil Kumble for $US400,000.
Dhoni was picked up without much delay and in the first round itself indicating his saleability.
Retired Australian spin-bowler Shane Warne was the first player to go under the hammer fetching $491,000 from Jaipur.
Warne’s compatriot fast bowler Brett Lee was picked up by Mohali for $982,000 while Australia captain Ricky Ponting was bought by Kolkata for $436,000.
Australian keeper-batsman Adam Gilchrist, who last month retired from Test cricket, went to Hyderabad for $764,000.
Retired Australian fast bowler Glenn McGrath and batsman Michael Hussey failed to get any sponsor and will join Pakistan’s Mohammad Yousuf in the reserve pool.
The Mumbai team has the little master Sachin Tendulkar as the designated city player with the backing of India’s most valuable company Reliance Industries, and they also paid $1.06 million for Sri Lankan Sanath Jayasuriya and $927,000 for India spinner Harbhajan Singh.
Sri Lanka’s Muttiah Muralitharan went to Chennai for $655,000.
Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene was bought up by the Mohali team for $518,000 while controversial but a true fast pacer Shoaib Akhtar went to Kolkata for $464,000.
The eight franchise teams of the IPL – Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Kolkata, Mohali and Mumbai – They are bidding for 78 players and the closed-door auction could last up to 12 hours.
The 44-day IPL starts on April 18 and will feature 59 matches.
All this reminds me of the Gladiators fighting the Lions for the amusement of the Kings and the people.
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