First Week and Buchanans' Report

The organizers boasted it to be the most awaited crickeiting event of the world, and we are already in the second week of the it. The last one week passed really quickly for the people who are following IPL2. Ironoically the reason for which IPL was not taken to England, the weather in South Africa is playing spoilt sprort by already causing 2 matches to be abandoned without a single ball being bowled and truncating 2 matches badly. We have also not seen many close matches except the one played between KKR and Rajanthan Royal. So what did the first week of IPL offer to the cricket followers around the world and what are the topics that are being talked about most?
1. IPL2 has broken some Myths and made some cricketing brains eat humble pie. Example - 1 Day Cricket and 20/20 a game for the youngsters and doesn't have a place for people in the wrong side of 30. Brilliant cricketing minds like Greg Chappel, John Buchanan , Ray Jennings (Bangalore Knight riders coach) beleives this theory. So lets see the name of the players who made a mark in the first week -
Mathew Hayden, Adam Gilchrist, Rahul Dravid, Anil Kumble, Saurav Ganguly - have all contributed heavily. All of them except Adam Gilchrist have been accused of holding on to their spot even when their shelflife expired. Comparing Kevin Petersons contribution to Rahul Dravid, I hope Ray Jennings and Vijay Mallya feels ashamed for a moment or two in the privacy of their room. Class they say is permanent and you cannot pull down a classy player.
2. Resurgence of Deccan Chargers - The team who inspite of having some big names last year, finished at the bottom position last year. They have made some minor changes in the team, changed teir captain, concetrated on their preparation and came back roaring to win 3 consecutive matches and occupying the top position. Whether they will be able to sustain their performance, only time can tell but they have made a bold oppening statement.
3. Fake IPL Player - The Blog which is provinding some inside scoop of the most talked about, most high profile franchise KKR have caught the imagination of the whole cricketing world. Every one starting from the Journalists, KKR Team Management and members of the rival franchaises are following it. The profession in which their owner Sharukh belongs beleives 'Even Negative Publicity is Publicity'. He may learn the wrong way that this addage doesn't hold true in Cricket.

John Buchanan is keeping a low profile, but I am sure his notebook is already full with notes that he takes every day. He has submitted his first weeks report to the owner which reads like this:


Dear Mr. Khan,

I am sure that you are a releived man, since we got one point from our game against Chennai. I am sure you would agree that 'One' is better than 'Zero'. The weather gods are on our side and we will get some more rains and as a result some more points in the future and with some luck we might win some matches too (with the help of weather god again).

As you know I always keep myself abreast about the world events, I am aware of the recession and the financial crunch everyone is feeling. So to save our cost I have decided that we should Sendoff (Read it as LayOff) some Management Staff and Players back to their home. That way we can save on the fooding and lodging of these extra people. The most notable of them are:
a. Jaydeep Mukherjee - (Assistant Coach) - His role was that of an interpreter actually, so that he can interpret my strategies to the indian players. I have found that since my strategies are confusing anyway, we dont need an interpreter.
b. Fielding Coach - I have found that even with fielding coaches you cannot improve Saurav's fielding. So he is being send off.
c. Wicketkeeping Coach - With Wriddhiman injuerd, he only has Mccullum to train. Mccullum also needs more training on his captaincy and batting, for which I am spending more and more time him, so the wicketkeeping coach is underutilized. His timesheet is a proof to that. So he is being send off.
d. Throwing Coach - I am not sure, we have time to learn this skill as we have matches every alternate days. So he is being send back.
e. We are also trimming the team size from 54 to 30. You probably don't even know the names of the players we bought and their expertize (I myself can't remember), so I am not bothering you with all the details.

I am retaining Michael Buchanan who is the Strength coach for the team. He will now spend more time with you, so that you have the strength to face the Indian Public when we retrun to India.

In the meanwhile I will spend more time thinking about new strategies for the second week.

Always thinking and taking Notes,

John Buchanan
Director of Coaches.