By IANS,
London : As the multi dollar the Indian Premier League (IPL) began amid fun frolic in Bangalore Saturday, an English version of the competition is most likely to be played among the 18 first-class counties plus a handful of overseas sides rather than the city/franchise system adopted by the IPL.
“The English and Wales Cricket (ECB) Board is looking at all options and is interested in finding out which offers the most value from a cricketing and commercial standpoint,” the chief executive, David Collier who is India was quoted as saying in The Guardian.
“The ECB constitution says that all 18 counties have to play in ECB competition,” he added.
The board is not ruling out the involvement of foreign businessmen, whose investment will probably be needed in a package capable of attracting a multimillion-dollar TV deal, although next summer’s Twenty20 World Cup, followed by the Ashes, means a putative English Premier League would not start until 2010.
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IPL is not for me: Ryan Sidebottom
England all-rounder Ryan Sidebottom has said that IPL is not a priority for him, as he will prefer to make up for his lost time by playing for England.
Sidebottom, who waited for six years for his second Test recall, was magnificent in the Tests in New Zealand, taking 24 wickets to cap a superb 12 months since his recall.
“It’s gone well,” Sidebottom was quoted as saying in The Daily Teleghraph.” But I’ve only played a handful of games (13 Tests, 13 one-day internationals, four Twenty20 internationals) so I’ve not given much thought to the IPL. I don’t feel I’ve done that much in my Test career.
“I still have a lot to prove, and I’m not taking anything for granted now that Freddie [Andrew Flintoff] is on the way back,” he added.
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Hussey will continue playing for Knight Riders
Nottinghamshire have cleared Australian batsman David Hussey to continue playing in the Indian Premier League (IPL) after agreeing a compensation package with him. Hussey will play for the Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL.
The 30-year-old will miss the start of the English county season while playing in the IPL and also tours the West Indies with Australia in May and June.
“I am really grateful to all at Notts for letting me play in the IPL,” Hussey who will return to Nottinghamshire from July 1 was quoted as saying in The Daily Telegraph.
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West Indies cricket officials meet Indian counterparts
West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) president Julian R. Hunte and Chief Executive Officer Donald Peters have held talks with their Indian counterparts. They also have had meetings with the officials of the Indian Premier League (IPL), which invited them for the opening ceremony of the tournament and the first match at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore Friday night.
Hunte and Peters discussed with the Indian officials joint projects and other areas of mutual cooperation and benefit. They will now travel to England where they will meet with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) in London early next week.