IPLT20CRICKET.NET

The IPL 3 Auction took place on January 19, 2010 and it was a comparatively low profile auction compared to the two previous years. It was also due to the fact that the IPL franchisees had just 750,000 dollars each as the maximum limit to spend on the auction. However, there was a also a new rule this year where the franchisees could make secret ‘silent tiebreaker bids’ in case there was a tie. But the excess money from the secret bid went to IPL instead of the players who could receive only the maximum bid at 750,000 dollars. There were secret bids for two players who were Keiron Pollard and Shane Bond. They were officially sold at 750,000 dollars each but as per sources, Mumbai Indians had supposedly made secret bid of more than 2 million dollars to bag Keiron Pollard while Kolkata Knight Riders had supposedly made secret bid of more than a millon dollars for Shane Bond. The other two high priced puchases and hot bids in IPL season 3 auctions were Kemar Roach and Wayne Parnell who were bagged by Delhi Daredevils for 720,000 dollars and 610,000 dollars respectively. Others won in the auction included Mohammad Kaif (Punjab, 250,000), Eoin Morgan (Bangalore, 220,000), Damien Martyn (Rajasthan, 100,000), Justin Kemp (Chennai, 100,000), Thissara Perera (Chennai, 50,000), Adam Voges (Rajasthan, 50,000) and Yusuf Abdulla (Punjab, 50,000).

There were 66 overseas players in the final IPL 3 auction list and only 10 overseas player and one Indian player were sold. The players who were sold are as follows:

Kieron Pollard (Mumbai Indians, $750,000)
Shane Bond (Kolkata Knight Riders, $750,000)
Kemar Roach (Deccan Chargers, $720,000)
Wayne Parnell (Delhi Dardevils, $610,000)
Mohammad Kaif (Kings XI Punjab, $250,000)
Eoin Morgan (Royal Challengers Bangalore, $220,000)
Damien Martyn (Rajasthan Royals, $100,000)
Justin Kemp (Chennai Super Kings, $100,000)
Thissara Perera (Chennai Super Kings, $50,000)
Adam Voges (Rajasthan Royals, $50,000)
Yusuf Abdulla (Kings XI Punjab, $50,000)

Bangalore Royal Challengers always makes sure that they have some of the best cheerleaders to cheer the team. Last year Bangalore Royal Challengers owner and business tycoon Vijay Mallya had got the Washington Red Skins cheerleaders to cheer for the team. There were some conservative groups last year who protested the girls wearing skimpy outfits while cheering for the team. But the flamboyant Mallya did not succumb to anybody and had the hot cheerleaders throughout the tournament though a few other franchisees changed the dress of the cheerleaders. Vijay Mallya has dropped the Red Skin cheerleaders this year and hired 24 members of the US-based Varsity cheerleader group and renamed them “White Mischief Gals”. The girls have been named after his brand of vodka named “White Mischief”. According to the Mallya Company’s release the girls are “specially trained in flirty acrobatic skills for a scintillating on-field performance”. According to the release the White Mischief girls are “a little bit naughty, a little more hottie and a lot more mischievous”. Hope that the girls can motivate Kevin Pietersen and his team. Meanwhile Vijay Mallya will not be able to cheer his team from the start and he will come a week later as he wants to watch his Formula One team, Force India, compete in the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai.

Here are two videos of the new White Mischief Gals

And here is a picture of the last year’s Red Skin cheerleaders

So, whom do you like more of the two

Kamran Khan has been in news for the past few days after he bowled an excellent yorker in the warm up match against Rajasthan Royals. He was also praised by his captain Shane Warne who named him the tornado and said he is a pace sensation to watch out in this IPL. Kamran Khan has been on the rise since his selection in the IPL team. He has never played a first class match and he was picked up by the Royals after they saw his bowling in a t20 match in Mumbai. However, Kamran has had to pass through a lot of difficulties before he reached even the IPL. The rookie pacer from Azamgarh in Uttar Pradesh, India was struggling with poverty when the IPL chance came along. He economic conditions was such that he used to sleep on railway platforms as he did not have money to book hotel rooms. He just had one pair of clothes and torn shoes for his trials and he often bowled with an empty stomach or just a meal of tea and biscuits. But IPL has changed a lot for the 18 year old talent Kamran Khan. He was signed up for $24,000 and Kamran Khan is happy with the contract. However, he said that he wished that the money would have come a bit earlier as he would not had to lose his mother two years ago. Kamran says that after sleeping in railway stations he felt quite uncomfortable sleeping in five star hotels of South Africa on his first night.

The pacer has been praised by his captain and coach Shane Warne who said that Kamran bowls at 140 plus and with some guidance Kamran will be able to develop into a great bowler in the future. Kamran is overwhelmed by is success in the last few weeks and everybody is supporting him too. But let us hope that he does not leave his concentration and becomes a very find for India in the long term.

Bollywood actress and Rajasthan Royal’s co-owner Shilpa Shetty offered her prayers at the Golden Temple in Amritsar, India for the success of Rajasthan Royal’s in IPL 2. Rajashtan Royals are the defending IPL champions after they won the first season under Shane Warne’s captaincy. Shipla and her boyfriend Raj Kundra became co-owners of the Rajashtan Royals franchisee this year and has been on extensive promotion for their team. Shilpa was accompanied by Jitender, Prem Chopra and Poonam Dhillon while she went to Golden Temple yesterday. The Rajashan Royals play a warm up game today against South African T20 champions Cobras today before they face Bangalore Royal Challengers on April 18.

It is also noticeable that Rajasthan Royals is the only IPL team without a single local player this year. There is not a single player from the state of Rajasthan this year although they have seven players from Gujarat. Most IPL teams did not take their full team to South Africa to reduce costs and the Royals also had to leave their two local players, Gajendra Singh and Mohammad Arif. But it hardly matters in regards to the team and let us hope that Shilpa’s prayers are answered and Rajasthan Royals have another great IPL season this year.

Note: Rajasthan Royals vs Cobras match will be telecast on Set Max at 17.45 IST.