David EdwardsWarney and World Politics
May 15th 2008 06:25
The Tuesday bombings in India has rocked the Jaipur-based side "Rajasthan Royals", with Shane Warne and ex-Victorian keeper Darren Berry expressing their anxiety over the incident which left 80 dead and many injured.
These bombings have proved to be the most exciting event so far in the IPL to date. In fact, i'd like to know how much the "oligarchs" that run the competition paid the brainiacs that instigated the bombings? Surely a quality bombing that brings life to the competition should be rewarded with a handsome salary. If Andrew Symonds gets paid $1.5 million for one or two explosive innings, then surely such an explosion in its own rights deserves a rich profit. I may add the term "bring life to the competition" is a tasteless play on words - just in case anybody noticed the rich irony.
The events, whilst catastrophic of course, awoke me from my unintentional neglect of the IPL tournament. So much hype was conjured up surrounding the IPL in the months preceding it, yet it took a terrorist attack to remind me that there is a cricket tournament going on the middle of the Australian footy season.
And Warney's right, he has no right to be in a 3rd world country where he is at danger from Bangladeshi terrorists who's only aim to get on the world scale is to bring down the scalp of Australia's most revered leg-spinner. Forget high-profile politicians, or International Embassies - these terrorists would do much more for their notoriety than to bring down the IPL's marquee player. Better yet, perhaps spiking Andrew Symonds post-match beer would do greater harm to India than a lousy 80 or so local deaths.
The fantastic thing is that Warney is starting to really mature as a leader, not only of the Rajasthan Royals - which is a fantastic accolade in itself, but he is also looming as a potential statesman. Indeed, if the Australian push for a Republic ever goes ahead, Warney is doing his chances no harm in potentially becoming some form of Ambassador/President. Allegedly he is sampling the vegetarian delights that India has to offer, he is taking his young team-mates under his wing, AND he speaking out on matters of world political significance.
As Darren Berry quoted:
"I was talking to Warnie this morning and asked, 'If this blast had occurred a day before we were due to fly over here, would we still have come?' He said there was no way we would have come..."
See, Warney's influence is even noticable among his peers, even the man he played under for many seasons at Victorian - Darren Berry. Shane Warne is not the hot-head he once was. Not only has he ditched his penchant for baked-beans in favour of fine Indian Cusine, but he is even thinking of making a statement against international terrorism by taking his bat and ball and going home!
SportingMind thinks that Shane Warne would make a wonderful ambassador for Australian sport, and could potentially play a significant role in both Australian Domestic and International politics. With his man-management skills, his obvious diplomatic skillsand of course his love for all things cultural - whats to say he shouldn't be given a cushy job on the Australian Sports Commission, alongside Liz Ellis and the incomparable Kyle Van der-Kuyp. In saying this however, Warney would need a hell of a PR team around him to negate those filandering rumours that are no doubt to spring up regarding links to Liz Ellis.
SportingMind sends its condolences to those killed in the Jaipur bombings, in what was a hell of a week for mass deaths. The fallen can remain confident however that their deaths have led to a greater global awareness of the IPL, and all that the competition offers to humanity. The division between the rich and the poor has never been wider in India - but as long as Andy Symonds gets his $1.5 million paid in full, i'll be a happy man.
These bombings have proved to be the most exciting event so far in the IPL to date. In fact, i'd like to know how much the "oligarchs" that run the competition paid the brainiacs that instigated the bombings? Surely a quality bombing that brings life to the competition should be rewarded with a handsome salary. If Andrew Symonds gets paid $1.5 million for one or two explosive innings, then surely such an explosion in its own rights deserves a rich profit. I may add the term "bring life to the competition" is a tasteless play on words - just in case anybody noticed the rich irony.
The events, whilst catastrophic of course, awoke me from my unintentional neglect of the IPL tournament. So much hype was conjured up surrounding the IPL in the months preceding it, yet it took a terrorist attack to remind me that there is a cricket tournament going on the middle of the Australian footy season.
And Warney's right, he has no right to be in a 3rd world country where he is at danger from Bangladeshi terrorists who's only aim to get on the world scale is to bring down the scalp of Australia's most revered leg-spinner. Forget high-profile politicians, or International Embassies - these terrorists would do much more for their notoriety than to bring down the IPL's marquee player. Better yet, perhaps spiking Andrew Symonds post-match beer would do greater harm to India than a lousy 80 or so local deaths.
The fantastic thing is that Warney is starting to really mature as a leader, not only of the Rajasthan Royals - which is a fantastic accolade in itself, but he is also looming as a potential statesman. Indeed, if the Australian push for a Republic ever goes ahead, Warney is doing his chances no harm in potentially becoming some form of Ambassador/President. Allegedly he is sampling the vegetarian delights that India has to offer, he is taking his young team-mates under his wing, AND he speaking out on matters of world political significance.
"I was talking to Warnie this morning and asked, 'If this blast had occurred a day before we were due to fly over here, would we still have come?' He said there was no way we would have come..."
See, Warney's influence is even noticable among his peers, even the man he played under for many seasons at Victorian - Darren Berry. Shane Warne is not the hot-head he once was. Not only has he ditched his penchant for baked-beans in favour of fine Indian Cusine, but he is even thinking of making a statement against international terrorism by taking his bat and ball and going home!
SportingMind thinks that Shane Warne would make a wonderful ambassador for Australian sport, and could potentially play a significant role in both Australian Domestic and International politics. With his man-management skills, his obvious diplomatic skillsand of course his love for all things cultural - whats to say he shouldn't be given a cushy job on the Australian Sports Commission, alongside Liz Ellis and the incomparable Kyle Van der-Kuyp. In saying this however, Warney would need a hell of a PR team around him to negate those filandering rumours that are no doubt to spring up regarding links to Liz Ellis.
SportingMind sends its condolences to those killed in the Jaipur bombings, in what was a hell of a week for mass deaths. The fallen can remain confident however that their deaths have led to a greater global awareness of the IPL, and all that the competition offers to humanity. The division between the rich and the poor has never been wider in India - but as long as Andy Symonds gets his $1.5 million paid in full, i'll be a happy man.
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