The Indian Premier League, while entertaining and educational, has also been a terrible inconvenience for South Africa.
It hasn't helped that the organisers have been arrogant, rude and demanding. Lalit Modi, Sony Television, IMG, and the all the League's sponsors owe the South African public as well as Cricket South Africa and it's provincial affiliates a massive debt of gratitude that stretches far beyond giving cheques to schools, money to school kids and offering some attractive woman an audition in a Bollywood movie.
Cricket SA and South Africa saved Modi's backside by scrambling to get the event hosted here in such a short time after the Indian government's failure to provide guarantees over security for the tournament. It was a monumental logistical achievement that spoke volumes for the IPL's organisation and for South Africa's patience - which was tested enormously.
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The scale of the sacrifices some provincial unions made to accommodate the IPL will only become clear in the coming months. Long-time sponsors and other supporters of SA cricket have been treated pooerly. Some may never return.
Cricket SA's hastiness in allowing the IPL to be played here, clouded its judgement and left many of its provincial affiliates at the whim of the IPL who bullied them into a corner over issues such as hospitality suites, beer pouring rights and security.
There were some very good matches and some poor ones, while the tournament offered fans an opportunity to see how legends from yesteryear starred alongside youngsters in a format that seems tailor-made for the youth.
Matthew Hayden and Adam Gilchrist looked and performed as well as they did in their international prime.
"I love this tournament. I have another game to go, take year off and have another crack next year. That sounds alright doesn't it?" Gilchrist quipped after his thrilling innings led his side, the Deccan Chargers, to victory in Friday night's semifinal against the Delhi Daredevils.
The IPL has provided the likes of Gilchrist, Hayden, Anil Kumble and Shane Warne with the perfect cricketing pensioner's package. They're well paid, the competition is intense, but lasts only three hours. "Twenty-over cricket applies more psychological pressure and players need to be tough. It's a real battle of wits. "
The format's rapidly increasing popularity - as shown by the large number of fans who have come through the turnstiles - has placed the spotlight on the relevance of the game's other two formats.
Certainly the 50-over format appears to be in danger though the World Cup still has a pedigree that 20-over cricket lacks.
Earlier in 2009 South Africa's coach Mickey Arthur spoke of the importance of keeping the 20-over format mainly for domestic consumption, but as talk grows of a franchise-based English league, a franchise city-based Southern Hemisphere league and the Champions League 20-over tournament involving all the domestic champions, concerns grow that young players who don't make it into their national sides, will choose the cash option and forego international careers.
Gilchrist said he wouldn't encourage young guys to ditch international careers, but he really is an old-fashioned romantic in thinking that days passion, enthusiasm and love of the game are paramount. Money is. Just ask Lalit Modi.
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