Rush hour

What a rush. IPL is off and running and after a weekend of games we’ve had our fair share of controversy and exhilarating cricket already.

The opening game set a cracking pace with a blistering 158 not out from Kiwi Brendon McCullum, smashing the 20/20 world record score. Unfortunately Bangalore could only manage 82 as the submitted to a powerful Kolkata side.

Mike Hussey became the first Australian to sit up and demand attention with 116 not out for Chennai, and James Hopes contributed 71 valuable runs in the same game.

But the Hyderabad v Kolkata game was the most contentious. Although the game went down to the wire, the match was played out on an absolute minefield of a pitch, with plumes of dust shooting up whenever the ball hit the deck.

Andrew Symonds and David Hussey, who led Kolkata to victory with an unbeaten 38, came closest to fighting the devils in the pitch, one usually seen more often on day five in test matches.

Poor V.V.S Laxman copped a snorter from Ishant Sharma on the glove, and Murali Kartik and Mohammad Hafeez then proceeded to turn the ball square. Even my innocuous off spin would have been a threat on this pitch (Does that mean I can get a contract IPL?????)

We’ve got plenty of matches to go, but the Aussies will only have another week or so to earn their money, with the tour of the West Indies looming. Let’s hope they enjoy I while it lasts.