Indians not only had the numbers in the grandstands at the World Cup semi-final, but also in the corporate boxes. There was no shortage of VIPs taking in the big match at the SCG on Thursday, including plenty of business heavyweights like Lachlan Murdoch, Katie Page and David Thodey. In terms of deep pockets, though, there was no challenger to Mukesh Ambani. The industrialist, who owns the Mumbai Indians in the IPL, is India's wealthiest man, boasting a fortune of $US21 billion ($A26.9 billion) and Forbes has him 39th on its worldwide list of the filthy rich. Ambani also attended the first semi-final at Eden Park earlier in the week with wife Nita. A cricket fanatic in the last World Cup, won by India at home, he reportedly spent more than $1m on booking out hospitality boxes for the final.
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Bailey on his knees
George Bailey started the tournament as Australia's captain but on semi-final day he was on his knees. It's not quite what you think – he wasn't begging for a start in Australia's XI. It was his turn to tell the joke of the day, an initiative introduced by Darren Lehmann. The gags are a state secret but the Tonk has been told Bailey, who was a keen thespian during his school days, loves using props to add theatre to his production.
Shield final in limbo
We mentioned this week about the whispers doing the rounds that this week's Sheffield Shield final could be the last of its kind. An update: having seen what occurred in Hobart, where Victoria made no real effort to chase a very achievable target and simply settled for the draw to clinch the title, we can tell you Cricket Australia chiefs are very much looking at scrapping the concept of the final.
Ashes on radar
It seems an eternity away at the moment but Australia's next assignments, series in the West Indies and then England, are little more than two months off. The squad for those tours, which run back to back, will be announced soon after the World Cup. There is set to be 16 or 17 players in the Caribbean party for two Tests in Dominica and Jamaica in June, with Ryan Harris to join them in England after bypassing the Windies for the birth of his first child. Among the big calls will be who is Australia's second spinner, who travels as Brad Haddin's back-up, and whether they take two or three all-rounders.
