ECB and IPL at loggerheads

Counties face ban from Twenty20 Champions League

Last updated: 23rd June 2008   Subscribe to RSS Feed

ECB and IPL at loggerheads

Modi: Hardline stance

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English counties will not be allowed to take part in the inaugural Twenty20 Champions League if they choose to field players with Indian Cricket League contracts.

The Indian Premier League, who will run and manage the tournament, are refusing to back down from their stance banning ICL players.

However with 15 out of the 18 counties having registered ICL players, only Middlesex, Essex and Somerset are currently eligible to take part.

And unless a compromise can be agreed then England could miss out on the tournament in October - with IPL supremo Lalit Modi insisting that the ball is in the ECB's court.

Modi told the BCCI website: "That is for the ECB to decide. If that is the case, it will be very sad."

The ECB have claimed that they have no legal right to ban ICL players, however Modi has refused to change his stance.

Should England fail to field their two representatives for the tournament, then either Pakistan or the West Indies could be invited to fill the gap.

Comments (16)

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Ryan Bachoo says...

Precisely what I said, it's happened today, it's finally come to light. Lalit Modi just proved to the world that it's by no means the International Cricket Council runs cricket but the money seems to overpower all governors. The mere fact that the Indian Premier League and the Indian Cricket League are like Coca Cola and Pepsi just trying to demote each others business shows that cricket would never be the same again. It shows while the inaugural Twenty20 Champions League set to be a spectacle like no other, the International Cricket Council is showing its lack of control towards the game or maybe awaiting for the toggle to get a bit more aggresive before interfering. The laws state any such player should not be prohibited from playing for such a club in which he wishes to represent and what Mr Modi seems to be doing is trying to demote the Indian Cricket League. I say the English Cricket Board should stand firm on the fact and the law that the Board of Controls for Cricket in India doesn't govern the game of cricket thus they are under the laws and shall obey it. If England field a Somerset, Essex or Middlesex team to enter the twenty20 Champions League then England are not about to support their rights. Mr Modi ought to review his maybe old version of the International Cricket Council's Rules & Regulations because his stance heads to a dead end if any club willing to compete at the inaugural tournament wishes to go against him. It's quite disdaining after the magnitude of excitement the Indian Premier League tournament brought to cricket that Mr Modi and his deputies will scrutinize the game and county level this much. It shows the level of power these guys like Lalit Modi has and what they are willing to use it for. For the sake of English cricket I wish West Indies or Pakistan are invited, for any rules and regulations made by the Indian Premier League to an extent the BCCI, SHOULD NOT BE HEEDED BY THE ECB!

Posted 20:21 24th June 2008

Simon Albutt says...

I agree with the comment, What would be really great for Cricket is for South Africa, Australia, and England to outright boycott the event and hold their own in Australia and include all who want to come except India. This is the only way the BCCI will realize they cannot Dictate policy in International Cricket! tyhats the best thing which has been posted. What would the BCCI do when nobody would play with them ?????? The ECB make their money from test matches full houses every game. Indian test matches only one man and his dog turn up. That is why the BCCI are upset.

Posted 15:26 24th June 2008

Imafidon Edebiri-akongie says...

This is a clear case of power tussel between the ECB and indian cricket authority.Cricket fans in England,knew how much desire were shown by england players(with central contract) and county players to play in the hugely successful IPL league.But they were simply restrain from doing so by stating that players who participate in the IPL league risk loosing their contract and jeopardise their future chances of playing for england .Why the ECB is crying blue murder,i don't know.ECB can't cut their cake and have it.

Posted 02:52 24th June 2008

Christopher Grathwohl says...

The question you all need to ask yourselves is when has the ICC stood up to the BCCI? Why do you think the BCCI setup the IPL the way it did? What would be really great for Cricket is for South Africa, Australia, and England to outright boycott the event and hold their own in Australia and include all who want to come except India. This is the only way the BCCI will realize they cannot Dictate policy in International Cricket!

Posted 01:19 24th June 2008

Mickey Pawar says...

This is just ridiculous. I am an Indian but I still think BCCI has no rights to stop players from or where should he play or not. This has become as international issue and ICC must look into this matter. otherwise BCCI will start ruling cricket soon and will start making their own laws of cricket. Someone should get rid of BCCI officials..

Posted 22:02 23rd June 2008

Mukesh Patel says...

It is wrong of BCCI to dictate terms to other authorities and holdthem to ramsom.It is not god of cricketing world.It should be thrown out of ICC.The rest of ICC countries should boycott India and refuse to play in India and should not invite India to play in their respective countries.It's about time ICC took charge of the whole situation before it gets out of hand.By behaving in this manner, BCCI is only trying to hijack ICC and become its de facto leader and nothing else.

Posted 18:26 23rd June 2008

James Hellings says...

This is becoming a total farce. What right does the IPL have to say that players can play for IPL teams only and not the County teams which the players play for in all formats of the game. I am a fan of the 20/20 format but this is a side that is beginning to ruin cricket, a gentlemans game because off the playing field, it seems that gentlemens agreements mean nothing these days and it's all about the money power.

Posted 17:29 23rd June 2008

Mick J says...

This is another example the BCCI thinking they control cricket, especially 20/20. Just because some players didn't play in their league the BCCI have had their toys out of the pram and said "Your not allowed to play now". They also want IPL teams to have priority over players who qualify with 2 teams when it should be the players decision. The ICC ( or someone else because the ICC won't do anything) need to step up and let the BCCI know they can't have it all their own way.

Posted 16:46 23rd June 2008

Ali Khan says...

I think that bcci and lalit modi have completely lost it. International teams like pakistan and new zealand have already lost their stars because of this idiotic attitude. It all started bcoz tv rights. This is insane!

Posted 16:17 23rd June 2008

Simon Albutt says...

tell me one thing who runs cricket BCCI or the ICC. Employment law says you can work or play for any team. Who do the BCCI (IPL) think they are. They dont run cricket AROUND TRHE WORLD.

Posted 15:16 23rd June 2008

David Jones says...

The whole situation with 20/20 has become farcical and shows the total lack of leadership from the ICC. The BCCI has no authority over what players are fielded in the tournament. I may be wrong but the problem is that this is not an ICC sanctioned event and as such they have little authority over it either. The simple solution would be for players to make up their mind and decide who holds their contract and to stop behaving like mercenaries. There is nothing to stop a player from being registered to play for a county, an australian team and an IPL all at the same time. If they are then placed on an internation central contract the waters become even more muddy. It's about time the ICC sat down and worked out the contractual issues only then will this mess be resolved. 20/20 may well be flavour of the month at the moment but if it is not carefully managed the whole lot will implode.

Posted 13:45 23rd June 2008

Anup Bansal says...

hold on a second...this sounds very very similar from county teams in ENGLAND stopping their players from going to play in the IPL. this just proves thtt famous quote "what goes around comes around" ECB said if you play in the IPL and miss a international match for your country your contract would be retracted. BCCI doing the same thing, IPL players cant play in this tournament if they already played in the IPL league. whats the difference?? ECB are the silly ones, they saw what happend with the IPL and saw how many players wanted to go there,now they tried to counter act that via there lil series with west indies. ECB need to sort themselves out before thickle fans abuse the BCCI

Posted 13:24 23rd June 2008

Andy R says...

This is ridiculous. Who do the Indian Cricket Authories think they are? Gods of cricket? They have no right to dictate to anyone who can/cannot play. The ICC should grow a backbone and stop giving in to the Indian Cricket Authorities. The winners of the 20/20 cup should play, no matter who plays for them. If the ICC don't intervene, they will look weak, weaker than what they look at the moment.

Posted 12:25 23rd June 2008

Asjad Khan says...

as much as i want a PKAISTANI team in the league iw ould love to see the ICC stand up n tells the BCCI to wake up.Playing in another league is not a crime.Cricket has already lost too many good players because of this stupidity

Posted 12:10 23rd June 2008

Hari N says...

Very Sad to see BCCI behaving like this, Very unsporting and unprofessional....But money wins...

Posted 11:32 23rd June 2008

Royston Hart says...

It seems to me that the Indian Cricket authorities seem to have too much power in the game today and this is just one example of it. Who are they to dictate? I thought that all countries had a say in what went on in cricket. This is blackmail - you do what we say or you can't play!!! (I last heard that when I was 6)

Posted 09:38 23rd June 2008
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