Friday, January 30, 2009

Indian Cricket League(IPL)


IPL, the Indian Cricket League gives a rich amount of money to the players. So, most of the players do not try to loose the opportunity. but here?

England fast bowler Stuart Broad has turned down the chance to take part in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

The 22-year-old is England's highest-ranked one-day bowler and could have earned a six-figure sum if signed by one of the eight franchise teams.

But he has decided not to enter his name in the auction which takes place in Goa on February 6.

Kevin Pietersen and Andrew Flintoff head a list of 13 England players hoping to land IPL deals.

Hugh Morris, the managing director of the England team, said: "We've got a very important summer ahead of us with the Twenty20 and the Ashes and this is a decision Stuart has made and we must respect that.

"Players will prepare in different ways for this summer. Stuart has chosen one way and others have chosen another way."

Broad's county coach at Nottinghamshire, Mick Newell, added: "Stuart's main aim is to play a part in the Ashes Tests and he feels that the best preparation for that lies away from the IPL.

"He's a young player and he'll have an opportunity to play in the IPL in the future but he wants a break and turning his back on quick cash for the benefit of his career is a very mature decision."

Broad is not the only England player to decide to give the IPL a miss, with captain Andrew Strauss, former skipper Michael Vaughan, batsman Alastair Cook, as well as wicketkeepers Matt Prior and Tim Ambrose also opting out.

But Pietersen and Flintoff are expected to be two of the highest-paid signings for the second IPL season.

James Anderson, Ian Bell, Paul Collingwood, Steve Harmison, Monty Panesar and Ryan Sidebottom are the other centrally contracted players hoping to take part.

Ravi Bopara, Samit Patel, Owais Shah, Luke Wright and Graeme Swann are the players on incremental contracts, who will be up for auction.

Former England players Darren Gough and Shaun Udal, as well as Kent captain Rob Key and Essex wicketkeeper James Foster, are also reported to be on an unofficial list of players who could take part in this year's competition, along with around 70 players from other countries.

Gough, 38, retired from first-class cricket with Yorkshire in September but should find out on Thursday whether he is on the final list of 50 names for the player auction.

The IPL will run from April 10 to May 29, although the ECB will only allow centrally contracted players to go for three weeks, so they will be back in time for the Lord's Test against the West Indies on May 6.

Players who are unlikely to be part of the Test squad, such as Patel and Wright, would be allowed to stay in India for four weeks.

With a limited amount of franchise places available for overseas players in the IPL auction, it is unlikely all the England players will be picked up.

But Morris is confident that for those who do secure a spot in the IPL it will prove to be a positive experience: "It's very much down to the players. It's their choice, the IPL is a fantastic opportunity.

"With the Twenty20 world championship happening in England at the beginning of the summer, it's nice to have the opportunity for some our players to play Twenty20 cricket.

"The players who are going there are going to be playing with and against some of the best players in the world in what we see as a very high-profile and very important tournament."

Best of luck for him.

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