The English season kicks off with MCC playing the champion county, Sussex, at Lord's next week to kickoff the English season. However, "the main subject of discussion in both dressing rooms, however, will not be the match, or how splendid Lord's is looking, or the impending domestic season. It will be of the IPL and where it is leading us," says Stephen Brenkley in the Independent.

All hell is being let loose out there. Every cricketer in England – and beyond – is talking about the advent of the Indian Premier League, how they might get a piece of the action and instructing their agent, if they have one, to check if there might be a contract available. There are millions of dollars swilling around the game and cricketers – some of them – will be rich beyond their dreams and perhaps be the objects of adulation not seen since, well, W G.

But MCC are still playing the champion county. Oh to be in England now that April's there. It is a safe bet, given the rapidity of events, that in 2108 the season's curtain-raiser willnot be a first-class match at Lord's between MCC and the champion county. MCC may still exist; not so the champion county. Doubtless Lord's will host some Twenty20 festival match for charity. It may not take a century, but more like a year.