Monthly Archives: July 2009

The Ashes has engaged our attention and England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff’s decision to retire from Test cricket at the end of the series took up a lot of time and space.

And, it became clear that every time a player announces his retirement from Test cricket, there will be a rush of the so-called traditionalists to blame the Indian Premier League for luring the player away. If anything, more cricketers have revived their international careers, thanks to IPL, than have ended their Test careers because of the lucre. Read more »

It is amazing, isn’t it, that no Twenty20 games of note are being played anywhere in the world and yet the format has engaged the attention of all and sundry. The last ball in the Indian Premier League (IPL) was bowled more than six weeks ago and yet its echoes are being heard in cricket’s board rooms across the world.

The England and Wales Cricket Board is plotting its answer to IPL; New Zealand Cricket is planning to host Australia next year but will draw up the schedule around the IPL dates so that its top players do not lose out on the chance to play the blue-riband event in India; West Indian cricketers have not signed contracts and we can hear generous mention of IPL. Read more »