The 4Cs and the 4Ps

Media can now focus its undivided attention on IPL as the marathon New Zealand tour is over and there are no more speculations required on how the pitches are going to be. We’ll soon see TV channels resort to desperate measures as they grab a thirty second slice of information and stretch it into a thirty minute program with at least three ad breaks. Rest assured of an overkill considering that the benchmarks from the recent series were “Dhoni ke Djinn” and “New Zealand ka Chakravyuh“.

However, the action in South Africa has started much before the creative guys can take off their thinking caps, scratch their heads, and put on the sterile caps once again. There has been yet another arm twisting negotiation under the threat of canceling IPL, this time with the cricket club in Cape Town. And, the golden helmets are at fire already.

The Kolkatta Knight Riders seem to have an agenda to be the top runners in riding through the event if not to the trophy. KKRs were the early movers in hunting their angels and that too with primetime media coverage. They got on to the controversy (read popularity) wave the earliest with their four captain strategy, irrespective of the limited scope for strategy in the T20 fireworks. And, they were the first to ride-in for the South African safari. No wonder that KKR has bagged the “Best Marketing Strategies” Power 2009 award organized by 4Ps – Business, Marketing and Advertising magazine.

KKRs have been in Bloemfontein for a week and have thrice been face-to-face with one of the strongest T20 teams in South Africa – Gestetner Diamond Eagles that represents the Free State. Eagles have twice claimed the Standard Bank Pro20 Series, which is SA’s premier T20 series. Eagles beat the Knight Riders twice before ‘Dada’ came riding, threw his weight around, threw his bat around, scored a half century, and KKR got the third time lucky.

There is one more match planned between KKR and Eagles on the 14th April, wonder if it would be telecasted. But before that we would get to see the match between the reigning champions Rajasthan Royals and this year’s Pro20 winners Nashua Cape Cobras. If the Cobras’ motto is to be trusted then this is certainly going to be “Cricket: with Venom.”