!!!!!CRICKETER BLOG !!!!!!

THE Eastern Cape is bracing itself for an invasion of Indian culture, Bollywood glitz and glamour and fiery cricket action as the much-anticipated Indian Premier League (IPL) kicks off in the province.

Cricket fans will be treated to the first of 10 matches to be held in the province from Monday when the Chennai Super Kings take on the Bangalore Royal Challengers at Nelson Mandela Bay‘s Sahara Oval St George‘s.

The national IPL tournament kicks off with a lavish opening ceremony at Cape Town‘s Newlands stadium today.

“We‘re in frighteningly good shape ahead of Monday‘s first match,” said Bay IPL tournament manager Tony Gavin. “Cricket fans will have a very good chance of seeing Bollywood stars travelling with their teams.”

Gavin said fans would be able to soak up unique entertainment as well as Indian cuisine, specially added to the catering menu for the event.

“Preparations have gone much more smoothly than we thought. The hospitality and help at the stadiums has been immense and our hats go off to EP Cricket,” he said.

“The involvement of local stars has certainly boosted appeal. Who doesn‘t want to see Jacques Kallis and Mark Boucher playing on the same team and there are also going to be some great showdowns, such as (England player) Kevin Pietersen facing (teammate) Andrew Flintoff.”

Billed as the world‘s greatest cricket spectacle, the tournament – relocated to South Africa after security fears in India – will see glamorous Bollywood stars accompany the massive media and management entourage following each of the eight IPL teams.

With tickets selling fast, organisers are expecting full stadiums for the seven matches to be held in the Bay and the three at East London‘s Buffalo Park, with Bollywood-flavoured carnivals planned to back up the on-field action.

The strong presence of top international and local cricketers in the event had further boosted local interest, said Gavin. Playing for the Bangalore Royal Challengers, ousted England captain Pietersen – who hails from South Africa – will face Flintoff who is playing for the Chennai Super Kings. Flintoff was rumoured to be behind Pietersen‘s public axing as captain earlier this year.

Other big names involved in the tournament include South Africa‘s Kallis, Boucher, Makhaya Ntini and Proteas captain Graeme Smith, while Australian cricketers taking part include such greats as Shane Warne, Adam Gilchrist and Andrew Symonds. Aside from Pietersen and Flintoff, other England teammates participating include Ravi Bopara and Paul Collingwood.

IPL newcomer Tyron Henderson, of East London, will also be in action when he plays for his team, the Rajastan Royals.

But it is the fireworks off the field in the form of players‘ wives and girlfriends – or Wags – which has local glitterati-watchers in a frenzy. Already glamorous Bollywood actress Preity Zinta, co-owner of the Kings XI Punjab, has wowed Bay residents after she touched down in the city earlier this week before heading to Cape Town to watch her team take on the Delhi Daredevils tomorrow.

Top Bollywood actor-producer Shahrukh Khan is also bound for the Bay when the team he part- owns, the Kolkata Knight Riders, take on the Mumbai Indians on April 27, while starlet Shilpa Shetty will most likely follow the team she has shares in, defending champions Rajasthan Royals, when they face the Deccan Chargers on May 2.

Zinta will return in early May when her team takes on the Kolkata Knight Riders. She will be accompanied by action hero Akshay Kumar, brand ambassador for the Delhi Daredevils, and movie heartthrob Hrithik Roshan, who is flying the flag for the Mumbai Indians.

Fellow screen icon Katrina Kaif will follow the Bangalore Royal Challengers on Monday. Adding international “Wag” flavour will be UK reality TV star Jessica Taylor, wife of Pietersen, as well as blonde bombshell Katie Johnson, voted Australia‘s fairest cricket Wag in a recent internet poll, as she keeps an eye on boyfriend Symonds, playing for the Deccan Chargers.

Thousands of loyal Indian IPL fans are expected to follow their teams over the next five weeks with a staggering 40000 hotel rooms countrywide said to be booked, while IPL chief executive Lalit Modi said he expected 10000 fans to fly in during the course of the tournament.

Gavin agreed with Modi‘s predictions, saying: “We‘re expecting large contingents of fans who have followed their teams.”