The IPL and the case for Angelo's existence

The IPL is finally upon us.

Unscantily clad cheerleaders performing behind a ten foot high wall of chicken wire - Lalit Modi's scathing figurative critique of the place of women in society.

South African umpire, Rudi Koertzen addressing the Indian crowd like they are all his friends, but failing miserably because it's only been 16 years and noone's forgotten.

A whole spate of awkward mobile phone ads featuring awkward Indian cricketers, acting awkwardly.

Also, there is cricket being played.

And last year's whipping boys, the Kolkata Knight Riders have won their opening games on the back of Angelo Mathews' batting, bowling and boundary thwarting abilities. Jrod of cricket with balls believes that Angelo doesn't in fact exist because he is a seemingly normal player in a team full of circus freaks. I beg to differ. Angelo has a wildly unorthodox streak in him. He just hides it well.

Have you ever seen Angelo bowl a batsman without first catching a deflection off something? Neither have I. This is because it has never happened.

Remember the opening over of the World T20 semis last year? Three West Indians bowled. Two off the inside edge and one off the thigh pad on a ball that would otherwise have been a legside wide.

Then there was that Compaq Cup game in the middle of last year against India when he got a six for. I don't actually remember it that well but I can guarantee there was very little death rattling involved unless the ball had been rerouted via the batsmen's bats/ pads/ thigh pads/ arm guards/ boxes/ gloves/ helmets/ bruised egos.

Then again on Sunday's game against the Royally Challenged Bangalore team, Mathews bags four wickets, two of which were inside edges onto the stumps.

Mathews thinks outside the square and induces deflections rather than doing the normal thing and aiming at the stumps in search of a bowled dismissal. This approach wouldn't work against Peter Ingram ofcourse, but it seems to have brought Angelo way more wickets than you think he should get.

Stay tuned for more Angelo news.