Twenty20 fans who have become accustomed to Twenty20 matches lasting just three hours are in for a surprise during the second season of the Indian Premier League - they will now last three hours and fifteen minutes. Part of the appeal of the shortest form of the game is the non-stop action but IPL games will now take longer and there will be no action at all during the added time. The IPL is planning to market the added time as an ‘innovation' by calling it a tactical ‘time out'. Each innings will now come to a halt for seven-and-a-half minutes after exactly 10 overs. “It is a move that is driven completely and totally by commercial objectives,” a senior production official was quoted as saying by a cricket website Cricinfo. “It is designed purely to make even more money by selling airtime,” the official said. The seven-and-a-half minute break will see the stadium crowd entertained by a live band while television audiences will watch three, separate two-and-a-half minute segments, two of which will be sold commercially. The third will show the teams taking drinks and discussing ‘tactics' to add some validity to the argument for the ‘time out.' While one section will be compulsory, mainstream advertising, the other will be set aside for ‘special projects'. Queen Rania of Jordan, well known for her agenda of social reform and progression, will lead the way with a series of short films aimed at African children expounding the importance of education. The IPL can justifiably claim that the project is well intentioned and for a good cause. And at approximately $1million per episode, it's also very lucrative. There are 118 two-and-half minute slots for sale. Production teams have also been told that they need to fit 2,000 seconds (around 33 minutes) of advertising into every match, a task described by a different member of the production team as “virtually impossible.” “It means taking about 40 seconds of advertising between every over and close to a minute at the fall of every wicket. It's OK in theory but it hardly ever works like that. If a team only loses two or three wickets, or the match finishes in 15 overs, we are in trouble,” the same production official said. In March, the IPL signed a fresh $1.8 billion broadcast-rights deal for 10 years with Multi Screen Media (MSM), which operates under the Sony umbrella, and World Sports Group (WSG). Field day for unsung players Little-known cricketers and underdogs go into the IPL in South Africa with keen expectations as the event is not all about favorites. Opener Shaun Marsh had not even played for Australia when signed by Kings XI Punjab in the inaugural tournament in India last year, but returned as the leading scorer with 616 runs. Rajasthan Royals, the cheapest team at $67m, had mostly honest triers rather than superstars, but stunned the more fancied opposition on their way to the title under the leadership of Shane Warne. Warne was the second-highest wicket-taker with 19 after teammate Sohail Tanvir of Pakistan (22), but his biggest contribution was his man-management skills. Marsh, son of former Australian Test opener Geoff who was signed for $30,000 – a meagre sum compared to what many others got - made his one-day debut just three weeks after the IPL. Fast bowler Manpreet Gony was another unknown player making a big impact, grabbing 17 wickets for runners-up Chennai Super Kings. He was later rewarded with an India cap for the Asia Cup in Pakistan.
