The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : Crunching numbers ahead of big auction

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Wednesday, Feb 20, 2008
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Crunching numbers ahead of big auction

MUMBAI: India’s cricket experts are fine-tuning software programs and crunching numbers ahead of a landmark auction on Wednesday to secure the world’s best players in a brand new Twenty20 league.

“We’re using a specific software program that will show us the practical balance of player versus a cost matrix,” said Vijay Vancheswar, a vice-president with infrastructure group GMR that bought the Delhi team.

No outside contact

A senior IPL official said bidders could not contact anyone outside of the auction room during the live stages of the auction, which will start in the afternoon and could go until midnight at a seafront Mumbai hotel.

Former India skipper Rahul Dravid may attend the auction along with Bangalore owner Vijay Mallya, the team’s CEO Charu Sharma said.

“We certainly hope Rahul will make it. He’s spared a lot of time for the team and can give us a sense of things inside,” Sharma said. “Mr. Mallya loves auctions and he has plenty of experience.”

“Mobile phones would be banned inside the auction room”, Sharma added.

Each franchise can sign up to eight non-Indian players for its 16-man roster, but only four foreign players can feature in a starting line-up during competition.

Each XI must also contain four under the age of 22.

First on auction will be what the IPL has termed the “marquee players” or cricketers who are the biggest draw, including Australians Ponting, Gilchrist and Andrew Symonds.

Each of the franchises will be allotted a computer that will detail the available balance, while a big screen will show the names of players who have been won by each squad.

British auctioneer

The auction will be conducted by British auctioneer Richard Madley, a director at Dreweatts auction house.

Sharma said teams like Bangalore which contain “icon” players had to be cautious at the auction.

This is the first time cricket teams in an event recognised by the International Cricket Council will be owned by private firms rather than being fielded by national or provincial associations.

“It has the potential to be huge because in India the population veers toward one sport and that is cricket,” renowned cricket commentator Harsha Bhogle said. “This is the first time a big new cricketing idea and the organisation to back it, has come from India. Until now, the best cricketing ideas came from Australia.” — AP

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