KKR IPL’s real show stealers as Rajasthan Royals falter despite win

If you thought winning is everything, think again! It certainly is not everything in the IPL. A recent study shows that while the Rajasthan Royals won the Tournament’s first season last year, It was the Kolkata Knight riders who truly won peoples’ hearts. Even as the eight IPL franchisees gear up for the tourney’s curtailed second season in South Africa, here are some pointers on perhaps the single most important factor concerning them- building and consolidating on a loyal fan base.

A recent survey conducted by sports marketing firm Dentsu Sport titled Building Sports Fandom- available exclusively with ET- analyses the things that helped IPL teams click with fans in the first season.

Conducted among 2009 (two thousand and nine) internet users in 30 cities, the survey also lists the most effective teams in IPL-2008 on parameters like presence of international stars, team name recall and uniform color recall.

Further, it suggests that there are short-term factors (Human Factor, Percieved Energy) and long-term ones (Performance, Engagement) that franchisees need to stress on, in order to succeed in attaining the elusive- a sustainable, loyal fan-base.

Not surprisingly, while Kolkata Knight Riders did exceedingly well in terms of human factor and engagement with co-owner SRK and a bevy of bollywood celebrities supporting the team, the Bangalore Royal Challengers were high on human factor but scored low on the performance and engagement fronts.

Says Rajesh Aggarwal, president, Dentsu advertising India; "For long-term gains in terms of creating sport fandom, franchisees need to ensure on-field performance and audience involvement during and post the tournament. The latter can be achieved through effective merchandising, creating fan clubs, cheering squads et al. Team owners can not afford to leave supporters stranded after the two month tournament and need to engage them for the whole year."

The study concluded that respondents regarded Rajasthan Royals as the most effective team on all performance related parameters- League Standing, Win % age, net run rate, performance of top five players. Kolkata Knight Riders scored in engagement factors like celebrity promoting a team, owner branding, uniform recall and TRPs while Chennai Superkings were regarded by respondents as the most balanced team, one that fared well on most counts including the presence of local/regional players, captain recall of team.

But the real surprise was Hyderabad franchise Deccan Chargers, which the respondents rated highest on the Perceived Energy parameter. A majority of the respondents found the franchise’s name the most energetic and vibrant. That it also advertised extensively before and during the first season, helped the side that finished at the bottom of the table, performance-wise.

Respondents found teams Delhi Daredevils and Mumbai Indians as average on all counts although Mumbai fared better than Delhi on all other counts barring performance. Winners Rajasthan Royals were found lagging in human factor and engagement, what with the lack of any big-ticket players ahead of the first season and restrained advertising to get the franchise noticed and talked-about. This, a clear indicator of the fact that winning is not all that it takes to be a success in the IPL.

Multiple-captain idea is burning issue at IPL

NEW DELHI (AFP) — When veteran Australian coach John Buchanan recently floated the idea of having multiple captains in Twenty20, it became a burning issue, literally.

His effigies were burnt in Kolkata by fans of former India captain Sourav Ganguly who believed the concept was meant to dilute the powers of their popular 'Prince of Kolkata'.

The 56-year-old Buchanan, who had a successful eight-year stint as Australia's coach, said the new concept would be an advantage in the fast-moving shortest version of the game.

"There will always be a nominated captain, who goes for the toss. He could look after the bowling, make the changes, take care of the strategy aspect," he told the Kolkata-based Telegraph newspaper.

"We could also have a fielding captain, who sets the field keeping in mind the planning done for that particular match. The fielding captain complements the nominated/bowling captain.

"Both will be supported by the coach, who'll be the captain off the field. When the team is batting, the coach will be the captain."

Buchanan, cricket manager of the Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL, sparked a worldwide debate with his concept and led to the pro-Ganguly protests.

The controversy did not die down and it eventually required Knight Riders owner, Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, to broker a truce.

"I am not doing it for the sake of grabbing headlines," said Buchanan. "I am doing it for reasons that'll benefit the game.

"Having one captain to run the show in the traditional form is okay. In Twenty20, though, I don't believe we need a single captain to be responsible for all the decisions."

Ganguly said they would "wait and see" how the idea works when the IPL opens on Saturday.

"It's completely new. It has never happened in sports," he said. "There are no gaurantees."

Teams like Australia and India have had different Test and one-day captains, but not more than one skipper in a match in any form of the game.

South African coach Mickey Arthur promptly shot down the idea.

"It has to be one leader always," he said. "I favour the one-captain situation because everybody in the team is clear about who is in charge at all times.

"If you have more than one guy as leader, you don't know whom to turn to. I really don't know what he (Buchanan) is aiming at."

Australian captain Ricky Ponting saw no problems with the concept.

"I know Tassie (Tasmania) actually experimented with that a few years ago. One was doing the field placings and one was doing the bowling changes," said Ponting.

"So it just sort of lightened the load up on the actual captain and gave him a bit more opportunity to think about different things. I don't see there's a lot of problems with it."

Sri Lanka's new captain Kumar Sangakkara felt the idea should be given a fair trial.

"If it's a way to go forward and it shows results, why not?" he asked.

"Hopefully, it's not a marketing gimmick. Something to create more interest towards that one franchise and to get the public to say 'Well, we'll follow the Knight Riders from here on."

Smith happy under Warne`s shadow

Graeme Smith may have led South Africa to the pinnacle in the limited overs cricket but he is still comfortable with Shane Warne in the forefront of the Rajasthan Royals team in the Indian Premier League.

"I`m happy to be in the background," he said about Warne hogging all the glory in the Twenty20 tournament.

"When I came home, the reception I got . . . that was something special. I`ve had to come to terms with the fact that with me, there`s no balanced view. People either love me or hate me," he said.

Rajasthan Royals captain and coach Warne, who shared a love-hate relationship with the South African crowd during his playing days, also looking to woo fans with the help of Smith.

"The public have booed me most of the time but, hopefully, playing with the Rajasthan Royals they`ll get behind me," Warne was quoted as saying.

"Hopefully, when I come on to bowl I`ll get a clap, or a cheer or whistle. They`re pretty vocal over here. They love their cricket. Having Graeme Smith and Morne Morkel in the side will help," he added.

McGrath defies odds to play in IPL

Glenn McGrath is in his 40th year. He is a man raising two children and, with a little help from his friends, running a major charity organisation founded by his wife, Jane, who passed away last year after a long battle with cancer.

Clearly, McGrath is a man with much on his plate and more on his mind. And yet, in the coming weeks, he will add to his many commitments by pushing his frame through five gruelling weeks of competition with the Delhi Daredevils in the IPL. It is, by any estimate, a massive ask, and even more so when it is considered McGrath has not sent down a delivery in international cricket since the 2007 World Cup final.

With his day-to-day activities largely focussed on a non-profit organisation, the opportunity to earn for his family - his auction price was $US350,000 - serves as a major motivation for McGrath as he enters his second IPL season. But this is no charity case. Last year, while contending with much heartache at home, the Australian paceman earned his pay cheque by emerging as the most economical (6.61) and durable (14 games) of Delhi's bowlers. McGrath believes more is to come this time around.

"I struggled a bit last year, but that was more about Jane and how the situation was back home," McGrath told Cricinfo. "That won't be a concern this time. Mum may bring the kids over for the middle period, depending on the schedule. My whole focus will be a lot different when I'm there, which I think will all be positive. Last time I think I did reasonably well considering I hadn't played for 12 months. I have no doubts it will be similar this time, but my mindset will be different.

"There is a lot of incentive going over there with the money they're offering. Cricket is not something that I have a great desire to get back and play at the moment. I'm very happy being retired and with everything that I achieved in my life. In saying that, as soon as I got on the field in India (in 2008), I couldn't help being competitive. My natural instincts came out and I was away. That won't be an issue.

"Last year I did a heap of fitness work leading into it, and when I bowled in the nets for half a session I felt like I hadn't ever been away from the game. When I played that Twenty20 match earlier on in the year for New South Wales, and I hadn't done any work leading into it, it felt like I had never bowled before in my life. So basically if I'm fit my bowling will come back really quickly, and if I'm not fit I'm useless."

McGrath will arrive in Delhi the coming days for the Daredevils' week-long training camp before departing with the squad for South Africa on April 7. It is, he says, a time of great excitement, as cricket taps ever deeper into the rich resource that is Twenty20 cricket.

But there is cause for concern, too. While McGrath and his metronomic action are unburdened by international commitments these days, the same cannot be said of the IPL's other major drawcards. Already, Sri Lanka have withdrawn from the spring tour of England due to their players' collective desire to compete in the IPL, while cricketers from the West Indies - called in as eleventh-hour replacements - are upset at being denied the opportunity to play the full five weeks in South Africa.

"To me, the best thing the ICC could do is make a window for it," McGrath said. "You'll stop people having to make a decision. Some guys have to make a decision between playing for their country or go over there and play for six-to-eight weeks and pocket $2 million. As much as you'd like to think they'd have their priorities right, that's a lot of money. You can set yourself up and have that security for your family.



"On the way out to the SCG one day, I got stopped at the traffic lights and someone handed $100 through the window from the car next door. They said, 'We love what you doing with the foundation, and we want to support you.' "



"[A window] would be a huge thing for cricket, and hopefully safeguard it against anything detrimental happening to the game. You're not going to stop it. When I started playing, and the way I still feel now, Test match cricket is the ultimate. But now, with Twenty20 and the potential for what you can earn, soon people will be saying Twenty20 is the ultimate. I'd hate to see it affect Test cricket too much. Hopefully, if there's that window there, you can get back and play Test cricket and focus on that."

McGrath will presumably attract much attention in India as he plies his trade for the Delhi Daredevils, but in his native Australia, it is his charitable work that has attracted most publicity of late. In January, Cricket Australia declared day three of the Sydney Test "Jane McGrath Day", and SCG patrons responded by dressing in pink attire - the colour of the McGrath Foundation - and donating generously. Indeed, McGrath's work for the foundation was recognised with his nomination for the prestigious Australian of the Year Award - more than a year after his retirement from cricket.

"I'm just Jane McGrath's husband these days," he quips. "The support for the foundation has been amazing. To be honest I don't know if it could've gone any smoother if I had a genie and three wishes.

"On the way out to the SCG one day, I got stopped at the traffic lights and someone handed $100 through the window from the car next door. They said, 'We love what you doing with the foundation, and we want to support you.' I was a bit tired and probably a little bit grumpy, and that really picked me up. I thought, 'That's what it's all about.' It's amazing how one little gesture can change your whole day. I still have to pinch myself with just how it went.

"My involvement is increasing. I still have sponsors that I work for. I have to spend time with the kids. I still have to put bread and milk on the table. It would be great to do stuff for the foundation 24-7, but someone has got to pay the bills."

South Africa emerges IPL frontrunner

In a swift turnaround, South Africa has overtaken England as the preferred venue to host the IPL next month. Lalit Modi, the IPL chairman, was flying to South Africa on Monday night to meet with senior officials of the South African government and an announcement is expected on Tuesday.

Weather turned out to be the principal factor that swayed the BCCI 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% of the matches" in the Twenty20 tournament, which runs from April 10 to May 24.

In England, concerns have been voiced by senior police officers about the practicalities of arranging sufficient security for such a high-profile event. The IPL clashes with the London Marathon and the FA Cup semi-finals and finals, among other events, while the G20 summit reaches a conclusion in the week before the tournament is due to start. " "Frankly they've been getting a bit ahead of themselves," one senior figure told The Times.

Another reason for England's chances receding is the assurance from top officials within the South African government and CSA that the IPL will receive the full red carpet treatment, well-placed sources told.

"The weather in South Africa seems to have become the deciding factor," the sources said. "Besides, South Africa is working out to be a much cheaper option. The South African government's interest in hosting the event is a major factor, too."

South Africa is also considered a better option when it comes to TV timings in comparison to England. For instance, the IPL wants to start its first match of the day at 4 pm IST, which would mean a 11.30 am start in England. In South Africa it would be a 12.30 pm start. The TV rights scenario is also less complicated in South Africa as Supersport owns the rights both for the IPL and for international cricket played in the country. Additionally, the cost of running the tournament in South Africa would be substantially less than in England. And the fact that the South African domestic season concludes a day before the IPL's scheduled start date should lead to less logistical problems than in England, where the county season will be just underway.

Modi and Gerald Majola, the CSA chief executive, are known to have a strong personal relationship, especially since the two boards became founding partners of the Twenty20 Champions League last year. It is believed that such a rapport would prove crucial in organising a tournament of this magnitude at such short notice. "This gives both the boards a lot of room for negotiations, adjustments and quick decisions, something that may not be possible with the ECB, which has to go by its board for almost every decision," the sources said.

Cricket South Africa (CSA) summoned their provinces to a teleconference on Monday afternoon, where they were updated on the latest IPL developments. "We have been told to expect a decision by Wednesday morning," said a South African provincial official with knowledge of the conference call. "We have had some early discussions about what we might need to do to prepare for this, but as far as we are aware, no final decisions have been made."

Majola spoke cautiously on Monday evening when asked to assess South Africa's chances of hosting the IPL's second season. "Until I meet with Mr Modi and BCCI officials and know exactly what they want and how they think this should proceed, then I cannot say where we stand," Majola told . "It has been strangely quiet since we were first asked by officials from the BCCI and IPL whether we can assist them, and to the best of my knowledge we remain just one of the options out there. We are interested in assisting, but we have not heard anything further."

Manoj Badale, co-owner of IPL's Rajasthan Royals, said he considered South Africa a likely venue. "Certainly based on the conversations I've had, if it [IPL] goes outside India, you'd have to suggest South Africa is the likeliest venue," Badale told BBC Sport.

Shaun Pollock, the former South African captain and current advisor to the Mumbai Indians, said he would be open to serving as a conduit between his IPL franchise and the KwaZulu-Natal board if approached. Pollock is currently in Durban with eight members of the Mumbai squad for a pre-season training camp.

"I would love the Mumbai Indians to come to Durban," Pollock told . "But, having said that, I don't know who will decide which franchise goes where, or even if (the IPL) will come here. It's hard to know at the moment. One person tells you it's 60-40 in South Africa's favour and another tells you it's 60-40 to England. But if it were to come here, I would be happy to help Mumbai if they were interested in basing themselves in my home area and conditions."

As of Sunday evening, England had emerged as the preferred venue to host the tournament after a powerful lobby within the BCCI and the Indian team management felt that such a move would help in preparing for the World Twenty20 in June.

However, that decision was almost entirely dependent on the ECB overcoming considerable obstacles related to costs and logistics and the approval of its stakeholders, including the counties, many of whom fear that their domestic schedule will be affected by the IPL.

Apparently, there is also a certain amount of concern at the ICC level about the state of venues in England for the World Twenty20 starting on June 5. The IPL will run until May 24 alongside the English domestic season starting in April and the West Indies Test series in May. "It's the beginning of the season in England and Wales and there is a lot of Twenty20 cricket being played including the ICC World Twenty20," David Morgan, the ICC president, told BBC Radio 5 Live. "I do think there will be great difficulties in relocating it."

Aussies crash despite Johnson ton

South Africa completed an innings victory over Australia on day four of the third Test in Cape Town, despite a fine century from Mitchell Johnson.Johnson finished on 123 not out from just 103 balls as Australia made 422 in their second innings, just 20 runs short of making South Africa bat again.Paul Harris took a career-best 6-127 in the innings and 9-161 in the match, while Dale Steyn finished with 3-96.The result means the three-Test series finished 2-1 to Australia.

"Obviously, any time you lose it really hurts, but this has been really poor," said captain Ricky Ponting, after Australia were condemned to their first innings defeat since India beat them in Calcutta in 1998.
"The first two Tests were as good as we have played, while the first two days here were as bad as we have ever played. It shows if you're not quite there in terms of your best then results are not going to go your way.We can take the momentum from this match into our series with England
Stand-in South Africa captain Jacques Kallis
"Bringing along a new generation of Australian players we've played some really good cricket. The Ashes series will be another opportunity for them."
South African stand-in captain Jacques Kallis said the triumph had provided the team with a major boost before their next Test series against England next winter.
"Obviously we're elated, it was huge to turn around our fortunes after the last two Tests. We've gained in confidence from this game and we can take the momentum from this match into our series with England," Kallis said.
Harris, the slow left-armer, was named man of the match at Newlands, but the day belonged to Johnson in notching his maiden first-class ton from just 86 balls.

He was given superb support from Andrew McDonald, who made 68 to share a 163-run partnership for the seventh wicket.

Ricky Ponting's men, resuming their second innings on 102-2, scored just 40 runs in the morning session and had to wait until the sixth over of the day for their first run.
Simon Katich moved to his half-century by flicking Albie Morkel down to the fine leg boundary for four, but he was out for 54, hitting Harris straight to JP Duminy at mid-off to end a 159-ball stay.Michael Clarke was given out caught behind in the over before lunch, but the batsman referred the decision and replays showed he had not edged Jacques Kallis' delivery.However, Hussey's determined innings of 39 came to an end just after lunch when he was surprised by a Steyn ball that reared up and fended to Duminy at gully.Brad Haddin was put down by close fielder AB de Villiers off the bowling of Harris, but the Australian wicketkeeper chipped to mid-on in the next over, where Duminy took a fine diving catch to dismiss him for 18.Steyn then removed the last of the recognised batsmen, Clarke playing a full-length ball onto his stumps, as the visitors reached tea at 231-6.

However, McDonald and Johnson dashed any hopes the hosts might have had of an early finish, scoring 116 runs in the first hour after tea and raising the 50 partnership in just over nine overs.
McDonald brought up his first half-century off 56 balls, which was followed by Johnson bludgeoning Morkel for four to raise his fourth Test fifty and third against South Africa.
The hundred partnership came from 91 balls, before Harris finally managed to put the brakes on when he claimed two wickets in two balls.The first was that of McDonald, who was caught by close fielder De Villiers, with TV umpire Billy Bowden confirming his fate.And the very next ball, Peter Siddle edged Harris to the same man at silly point.But Johnson, who made 96 not out in the first Test at the Wanderers, kept them waiting and brought up his hundred by pulling Steyn for a massive six over mid-wicket.In the next over, however, he ran out new man Bryce McGain for a duck while attempting to retain the strike.

And with the light quickly fading, Ben Hilfenhaus was last man out when he edged Harris to Ashwell Prince at first slip for 12.
The game was West Indian umpire Steve Bucknor's last Test match.



Test Match Series: South Africa v Australia
19-03-2009 at Cape Town , Day 4 of 5
South Africa beat Australia by an innings and 20 runs
Australia won the toss and decided to bat
Australia Innings
209 all out (72.0 overs)

Australia Innings
422 all out (121.5 overs)
South Africa Innings
651 all out (154.3 overs)

Australia Innings - All out




Runs

Balls

4s

6s
Hughes lbw b Harris
33
64 4 0
Katich c Khan b Harris
55
160 7 0
Ponting c Boucher b Morkel
0
6 0 0
Hussey

b Steyn
20
20 4 0
Clarke

b Steyn
0
3 0 0
Haddin lbw b Harris
42
67 8 0
McDonald c Kallis b Ntini
13
44 1 0
Johnson c Prince b Steyn
35
54 6 0
Siddle c de Villiers b Ntini
0
2 0 0
McGain c de Villiers b Steyn
2
14 0 0
Hilfenhaus not out


0
0 0 0
Extras

2nb 1w 6lb 9

Total

all out 209 (72.0 ovs)

Bowler

O

M

R

W
Steyn 16.0 5 56 4
Ntini 17.0 7 38 2
Kallis 10.0 2 31 0
Morkel 12.0 3 44 1
Harris 17.0 5 34 3

Fall of wicket


58 Hughes
59 Ponting
81 Hussey
81 Clarke
152 Katich
158 Haddin
190 McDonald
190 Siddle
209 Johnson
209 McGain

Back to top

South Africa Innings - All out



Runs Balls 4s 6s
Khan c and b Siddle 20 64 1 0
Prince c Haddin b Hilfenhaus 150 249 19 2
Amla c Haddin b Johnson 46 88 8 0
Kallis c and b Hilfenhaus 102 163 14 2
de Villiers c McDonald b Katich 163 196 12 7
Duminy b Johnson 21 1 0
Boucher c Ponting b Johnson 12 26 3 0
Morkel
b McDonald
58
71 10 1
Harris c Haddin b Johnson
27
49 4 0
Steyn c Clarke b Katich
0
4 0 0
Ntini not out


4
6 1 0
Extras 10nb 9w 19b 24lb 62

Total all out 651 (154.3 ovs)

Bowler O M R W
Johnson 37.3 5 148 4
Hilfenhaus 34.0 4 133 2
Siddle 35.0 15 67 1
McGain 18.0 2 149 0
McDonald 27.0 7 102 1
Katich 3.0 1 9 2

Fall of wicket


65 Khan
162 Amla
322 Prince
415 Kallis
443 Duminy
467 Boucher
591 Morkel
637 de Villiers
637 Steyn
651 Harris

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Australia Innings - All Out




Runs Balls 4s 6s
Hughes c Kallis b Harris 32 46 4 0
Katich c Duminy b Harris 54 159 4 1
Ponting c Boucher b Steyn 12 24 1 0
Hussey c Duminy b Steyn 39 153 5 0
Clarke b Steyn 47 106 7 0
Haddin c Duminy b Harris 18 27 3 0
McDonald c de Villiers b Harris 68 99 8 0
Johnson not out 123 103 11 5
Siddle c de Villiers b Harris 0 1 0 0
McGain run out 0 2 0 0
Hilfenhaus c Prince b Harris 12 16 2 0
Extras 5nb 2w 8b 2lb 17
Total all out 422 (121.5 ovs)

Bowler O M R W
Steyn 27.0 5 96 3
Ntini 19.0 6 66 0
Morkel 20.0 1 88 0
Harris 42.5 9 127 6
Kallis 10.0 4 21 0
Duminy 3.0 1 14 0

Fall of wicket

57 Hughes
76 Ponting
138 Katich
146 Hussey
191 Haddin
218 Clarke
381 McDonald
381 Siddle
388 McGain
422 Hilfenhaus



Umpires: Asad Rauf, S A Bucknor
South Africa: Prince, Khan, Amla, Kallis (C), de Villiers, Duminy, Boucher (W), Morkel, Harris, Steyn, Ntini
Australia: Hughes, Katich, Ponting (C), Hussey, Clarke, Haddin (W), McGain, Johnson, McDonald, Siddle, Hilfenhaus