The Auction

Glen Maxwell $1m dollar man

Fantasy Bob has never been the subject of an auction.  So he has no idea how it feels like today to be Ravi Bopara or Matt Prior who were left unsold at this weekend's IPL auction for the 2013 series.

Nor has he a clue how it feels to be Glenn Maxwell who went for the top price in the auction - as the Mumbai Indians forked out $1 million for him.  FB must admit he has never heard of Maxwell, good Scottish name though he possesses - not that that fact seems to have diminished his value.  Apparently he scored the fastest half century in Australian cricket history - taking 19 balls.

But he celebrated his good fortune by scoring a big fat duck for Australia in their latest ODI against W Indies.  A game in which former Scottish Saltire George Bailey scored 125 in a match winning innings.  George Bailey was signed by Chennai in the IPL in 2009 for a mere $50000 but has played only a handful of games.

FB recognises that the player auction is one way of ensuring that teams have competitive squads so that no team can unduly dominate a competition leading to the sterility that is present in, for example, in Scottish football. The time may be ripe for the concept to be introduced in Scottish sport.  Just to gauge the Scottish appetite for the concept FB suggests that a player auction should be introduced into the lower leagues of the East of Scotland League.  However he recognises that in an amateur league there is a sensitivity in putting monetary value on layers in this league, so he suggests that players' value should be assessed in non monetary terms.  Fortunately FB has identified he perfect alternative currency.  For the 2013 auction player's worth will be evaluated in terms of empire biscuits.

Here is the auctioneer rehearsing for the coming event.