Cricketers go under the hammer

Indian cricketer and captain of the Kolkata team, Sourav Ganguly arrives for the inaugural IPL Twenty20 players' auction in Mumbai on February 20, 2008. Representatives of the eight IPL franchises started bidding for players, with more than 80 international cricketers expected to feature in the players' auction, which began in India with wages usually reserved for European football players on offer. The IPL-brainchild of the BCCI featuring eight franchised city-based teams drawn from a star cast of cricket's top players, will be held over 44 days in 12 Indian cities from April 18. (AFP Photo)