Deep Fine Leg

I doubt many of us armchair cricket fans expected to hear the news today that Youtube that will host live Indian Premier League cricket matches in the UK.

This is the first live major sporting deal to be broadcast by the Google owned operator; the IPL will be broadcast online in all countries except the United States.

Youtube will have exclusive streaming rights for two years in a deal that sees the two companies split the advertising and sponsorship revenue.

Setanta who had owned the exclusive results folded in 2009 leaving a number of events in limbo, this included the IPL which has not, as yet, found a new home on UK based television despite confidence from the IPL that an agreement would be forthcoming.

Youtube will broadcast 60 matches through its dedicated sports channel www.youtube.com/ipl – the 2010 IPL will last for 45  days.  An exclusive “YouTube View” or “fun feed” will provide viewers with an alternative view of the match not available on television or any other media.

Yesterday saw the first 11 players to be drafted in the 2010, of 67 players on offer not one Pakistan player was bought much to the disappointment of Javed Miandad (the Pakistan Cricket Board’s director of operations) who said  ”It’s nothing less than humiliation – not only of our cricketers but the whole nation,”

The surprise of the day came with Damien Martyn’s appointment to the Rajasthan Royals where Shane Warne, his old team mate had a big hand in selecting the ageing Australian. Martyn hasn’t played professional cricket in three years.

Players sold:

Kieron Pollard $750k Mumbai

Kemar Roache $720k Deccan

Shane Bond $750k Calcutta

Damien Martyn $100k Rajasthan

Adam Voges $50k Rajasthan

Justin Kemp $100k Chennai

Wayne Parnell $610k Delhi

Mohammad Kaif $250k Kings XI Punjab

Yusuf Abdullah $50k

Thissara Perera $100k

Eoin Morgan $220k Bangalore

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