FORGET FAMILY Guy, Curb Your Enthusiasm and Two and a Half Men.
Shelve those reruns of Frasier, Seinfeld and Everybody Loves Raymond because, folks, the wackiest show right now on TV is out of India and called the IPL.
This about three-hour per episode riot is loosely based on the game of cricket and comprises eight wacky teams; each made up of an international cast of stars, misfits and some local extras. It's Gilligan's Island goes to Bollywood.
Throw in raucous packed crowds, non-stop action and massive financial backing and this is a can't-miss hit.
Honestly, I love this show. I'm a cricket purist at heart (read 'old') and can think of no better way to spend a day in the sun than watching a Test match, but I'd gladly swap a few sessions at 'Bina, Adelaide Oval or the MCG to take in just one of those games on the subcontinent where the venerable game seems like it took a detour into a crack house.
This level of Twenty20 cricket is compelling in many ways: the batsmen can swing away without conscience and with the main aim not necessarily to occupy the crease but to smash the ball to smithereens. In such a short time frame and on some ridiculously flat pitches that would make Providence look like a minefield, it's almost impossible to bowl a side out, so the poor bowlers and stressed fielders spend most of their time retrieving balls from the boundary or watching them sail into orbit.
Priceless experience
Honestly, you can't pay enough rupees (well, maybe you can) to see the look on Glenn McGrath's face when he's been hit straight over his head for six. Priceless!
Plus, the auction process which launched the competition has cast together some unlikely bedfellows - mortal Test and one-day foes are now teammates and forced to like each other.
India's Saurav Ganguly captains the Kolkata Knight Riders and under his charge is Aussie captain Ricky Ponting, which must make for some interesting team meetings.
Likewise, Indian opener Virender Sehwag has Kiwi skipper Daniel Vettori and veteran stager McGrath to call on as part of his Delhi Daredevils' brains trust.
M.S. Dhoni's Chennai Super Kings feature former NZ captain Stephen Fleming, veteran Australian opener Matthew Hayden and Sri Lankan twirler Muttiah Muralitharan. If their advice is not smart enough, Dhoni can always seek out squad member Napoleon Einstein (I kid you not).
The only foreign captain of a side in the competition, legendary leggie Shane Warne has a tactical safety valve in the form of SA skipper Graeme Smith if his young Rajasthan Royals should falter.
It's a potpourri of international talent and some have already lived up to their billing and salaries.
Sensational start
New Zealand keeper Brendon McCullum got the tournament off to a sensational start when he pummelled a 20/20 record of 158 not out off 73 balls (13 sixes) for Kolkata against Bangalore.
That has been followed by two more centuries to Aussies Andrew Symonds (117) and Michael Hussey (116) and some incredibly clean hitting from the likes of Sehwag (94off 41 balls), Kumar Sangakkara (94 off 56), Hayden (81 off 46), Smith (71 off 45) and Yusuf Pathan (61 off 28), among a host of others.
As the figures show, this is no game for quicks or spinners and they are more like glorified bowling machines than weapons in 20/20s, but the artistry of Warne, McGrath, 'Murali' and young Indian star Ishant Sharma has shone through at times during their four-over spells.
It is doubtful that any of this slugging and frenetic fielding will carry over into the Test arena but it could have an effect on the 50/50 game as, if a team can make 240-plus off 20 overs, what's the limit over 50?
What may spill into Tests is greater camaraderie between opponents cum IPL teammates and that surely can't hurt after some recent surly series.
However, for now, it's fun, fun, fun and the hits and laughs just keep on coming.
I've already picked my team, it's the winless Deccan Chargers. I didn't go for them because of Symonds or Adam Gilchrist.
Nope, I chose the Chargers because they have the best MC. Without fail, after each over he chants: "One and two and three and four, come on Chargers give us more." Every blinking over. Ya just gotta laugh.
Later!
Feedback: tym.glaser@gleanerjm.com
