Reply With QuoteIPL opener for Cape Town
2009-03-24 16:57
By Rob Houwing, Sport24 chief writer
Cape Town - South Africa will host the second, lucrative season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) Twenty20 competition, with Cape Town hosting the opening ceremony and match.
Contrary to initial speculation that the glitzy, eight-team tournament might be confined to close-proximity, predominantly highveld stages such as the Wanderers and Centurion and possibly Benoni and Potchefstroom, it is known that Newlands will be among more distant venues also involved.
Cape Town stages the opener on April 18, only a day after the conclusion of the five-game, one-day international series between South Africa and Australia at the Wanderers.
Sport24 has learnt from a reliable source in the local broadcasting industry that six venues will be used for the six-week event, featuring the cream of the world’s one-day cricketers, although the exact list of venues could not be confirmed.
Several days of intense speculation ended on Tuesday with an announcement in Johannesburg between Lalit Modi, the IPL chairperson, and Gerald Majola, CEO of Cricket South Africa.
A televised launch statement was to be screened live on SuperSport’s Blitz Channel (Channel 200) at 17:00.
Modi has said in a CSA statement to print and electronic media: “We are very happy to confirm that South Africa will host the 2009 DLF Indian Premier League tournament.
“We would like to thank CSA very much for the support they have given us over the past few days, which has helped us to come to this decision.
“The South African public loves T20 cricket and CSA successfully hosted the inaugural ICC World Twenty20 (early in 2007/08). Both these factors weighed heavily in South Africa’s favour.”
CSA CEO Majola said: “This a great compliment to both CSA and our nation to be shown this confidence in our ability to hold one of the world’s top sporting events at short notice.”
An Indian television broadcaster, New Delhi Television, had already revealed earlier that the 59-match event would take place in South Africa rather than England, which had been suggested as another possible external host after organisers canned plans to stage it on home soil.
The Indian Government had been the stumbling block on security grounds, considering that elections are imminent there and that the Subcontinent has been rocked by terror attacks in recent months.
Speculation has see-sawed, with England favoured one minute and then South Africa the next.
According to the influential, India-based Cricinfo website, what swung things South Africa’s way was its more favourable weather. “Weather has turned out to be the principal factor to have swayed… officials, a bulk of whom had been in favour of England until Monday morning, when the realisation occurred that rain could seriously affect as many as 70 percent of the matches.
“Another reason … is the assurance from top officials within the South African Government and CSA that the IPL will receive the full red carpet treatment.”
South Africa is also considered a better option in TV timings of matches – a crucial ingredient to the IPL’s mix.
In South Africa, matches are expected to start at around 12:30, and SuperSport will screen all matches live for domestic consumption.
Sport24 first revealed exclusively on Friday that the IPL might well be SA-bound after confirmation from a well-placed source that discussions were in progress.
Originally Posted by dredger14
