'Fixing' Chennai

Last evening, I bet a thousand bucks that Chennai would lose. I then increased that bet to 2000 bucks when Bangalore made only 126. I got odds of 3 is to 1 - Chennai lost and I was 6,000 bucks richer. While the money has not begun to warm my wallet yet, my little victory did make me wonder just how much money would have been riding on a Chennai loss yesterday - crores, several hundreds of crores perhaps?

With their place in the semi finals almost guaranteed, would a loss have mattered yesterday? Perhaps, even if it did, the Chennai chokers may have been made to lose perspective by the lure of money that could potentially have been several times their three year contracts? Too cynical I hear John say - but this is the same team that won a humdinger against Delhi, regularly scores over 150 and has never looked like collapsing dramtatically. A bad day you say... hmmmm.. perhaps.

Quite a coincidence though that a colalpse of this nature should happen to two teams on the same night. It does suddenly make the IPL more interesting and more TRP woth doesnt it? If Delhi does play today, wont millions watch them trying to open the door that has suddenly opened for them courtesy last night?

Is there a nexus between players and bookies; between tv and players or is it an unholy alliance of tv, bookies and players, where no one loses but everyone is so much richer?