All news about ICL

[f.b.m]

Are there any more top-secret odis taking place?

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Vincent no longer depressed, joins rebel league New Zealand Cricket has cancelled Lou Vincent's New Zealand Cricket contract after he signed with the unsanctioned Indian Cricket League.New Zealand Cricket CEO Justin Vaughan said Vincent had signed with the ICL without first... More... :16PM Thursday February 28, 2008 Lou Vincent's decision to join the ICL rebel 20/20 league in India has infuriated New Zealand Cricket bosses. Photo / Brett Phibbs / Martin Sykes New Zealand Cricket has cancelled Lou Vincent's New Zealand Cricket contract after he signed with the unsanctioned Indian Cricket League. New Zealand Cricket CEO Justin Vaughan said Vincent had signed with the ICL without first seeking permission from NZC, as required by his contract. "I have met with Lou and the New Zealand Cricket Players Association over the past couple of days and have expressed to them how disappointed I was that Lou had breached his NZC contract," Vaughan said. "We stand by these contracts regardless of performance or injury and we expect players to do the same. "I understand the NZCPA will be talking to players about the need to honour the terms of their contracts."

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PCB refuses NOC to Rana for playing in English county The PCB on Thursday refused to issue a no objection certificate to Test pacer Rana Naved ul-Hasan to play for English county Yorkshire this year owing to his alignment with the rebel Twenty20 venture of Indian Cricket League. More... KARACHI, February 28: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Thursday refused to issue a no objection certificate to Test pacer Rana Naved ul-Hasan to play for English county Yorkshire this year owing to his alignment with the rebel Twenty20 venture of Indian Cricket League. The Board turned down a request from Yorkshire and the pacer for the NOC on the grounds that he has joined the unofficial Indian Cricket League (ICL). A Board official said it was the Board's policy to not issue any NOCs for county cricket or domestic cricket to players who have signed up for the ICL. The latest snub from the Board came when Yorkshire wrote to them reminding them that a NOC was required for Rana as per the work permit regulations for the United Kingdom. The official said the Board was very clear on its policy on ICL players and would stick by it. A disappointed Rana Naved said he was shocked that the Board could be so vindictive towards players who had simply opted for an available option to earn some extra money. "I am no longer playing for Pakistan or even domestic cricket. Now why are they trying to even stop me from earning my livelihood in England. If the counties don't have problems signing on ICL players why is our board being so tough," he said. The Board has already come under fire for its one sided policy on players who have signed up for the ICL. Former Test captain Moin Khan said the snub to Rana had not come as a surprise to him as the PCB was only trying its best to appease the Indian board.

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Gillespie to call time after Adelaide farewell Jason Gillespie will become the latest of Australia's thirty-somethings to call time when he announces his retirement at the end of South Australia's Pura Cup tie against Queensland which starts on Friday. More... Australian fast bowler to join ICL Gillespie to call time after Adelaide farewell Cricinfo staff February 28, 2008 Jason Gillespie cools off in the dressing room after his record-breaking double hundred in Chittagong on what turned out to be his final Test © Getty Images Jason Gillespie will become the latest of Australia's thirty-somethings to call time when he announces his retirement during South Australia's Pura Cup tie against Queensland which starts on Friday. Gillespie, who will turn 33 in April, is widely reported to have signed with the unsanctioned Indian Cricket League, and that means he has delayed any announcement to allow him to bow out in the match. Gillespie would have been barred from playing were he to confirm a deal with the ICL . A source close to the player told The Australian newspaper that there would be a press conference at the close of the first day of the match. "He's not allowed to announce it prior because it is not a sanctioned league." Gillespie was one of Australia's leading quick bowlers during their outstanding period of dominance. In 71 Tests he took 259 wickets at 26.13 with a best of 7 for 37 at Headingley in 1997. His last major act for Australia came in his final Test when he was recalled in 2006 after a dismal Ashes campaign the previous year and hit 201 against Bangladesh. Although Gillespie enjoyed a good season in 2006-07, taking 30 wickets at 28.43 for South Australia, this summer he managed 24 wickets at 35.87 and there was speculation that his contract would not be renewed. The news also caught Glamorgan, who Gillespie had signed to play for in 2008, on the hop. Only yesterday they issued the details of their squad to the media, but if he does sign with the ICL then he will be unable to honour that commitment. © Cricinfo

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Pakistan bans ICL players from county cricket Cricinfo has learned that the Pakistan board is set to block any of its players who have signed contracts with the unsanctioned Indian Cricket League from playing domestic cricket overseas. More... Mushtaq and Naved-ul-Hasan face a summer on the sidelines Pakistan bans ICL players from county cricket Cricinfo staff February 28, 2008 Mushtaq Ahmed leads Sussex off after taking 13 wickets in the final match of the 2007 season ... but will it turn out to be his last outing for the county? © Getty Images Cricinfo has learned that the Pakistan board is set to block any of its players who have signed contracts with the unsanctioned Indian Cricket League from playing domestic cricket overseas. As things stand, any player who wants to play abroad needs a No Objection Certificate [NOC] from their home board. But a PCB source told Cricinfo that Rana Naved-ul-Hasan, who recently signed for Yorkshire, would not be getting an NOC. "This is in line with our policy on the ICL," the source said. "All players who do sign up with it will not represent Pakistan or domestic sides in Pakistan and anyway, Rana was not a contracted player of the board." Perhaps the most high-profile case is that of Mushtaq Ahmed, who has been instrumental in Sussex's success in the last five seasons and who is due to return to Hove next month. Although he was granted an NOC, he has since signed with the ICL. "We are considering withdrawing his NOC, because when we provided it to him last, it was a month and a half before he signed up with the ICL," the spokesman said. Yorkshire's chief executive Stewart Regan said that the county had given Naved-ul-Hasan an ultimatum - will he take part in the ICL or will he play for Yorkshire? "If Rana takes part in the ICL, he will automatically forfeit his Yorkshire contract. What we don't know is how much Rana is being paid by the ICL, or whether he has signed a legally-binding contract."

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Lahore Badshahs leave for ICL The 16 Pakistani players who have signed up with the Indian Cricket League will play in the second edition of the tournament at Lahore Badshahs. More... February 29, 2008 14:21 IST A big contingent of Pakistani players leaves for New Delhi on Friday to take part in the second edition of the Indian Cricket League. They will play in the tournament as 'Lahore Badshahs'. One of the contracted players disclosed that the 16 Pakistani players signed up by the ICL will appear in the tournament as Lahore [images] Badshahs. The tournament organisers have designed a special Salwar Kameez and waistcoat as the team's official outfit. Moin Khan, the ICL representative in Pakistan, said there are plans to have designated city teams from Colombo and Dhaka in the tournament as well. The Pakistan players include former captain Inzamam-ul Haq, Abdul Razzaq [images], Imran Farhat [images], Taufiq Umar, Azhar Mahmood, Shabbir Ahmed, Rana Naved, Mohammad Sami [images], Hasan Rana, Naved Latif, Shahid Nazir, Mushtaq Ahmed, Humayun Farhat, Imran Nazir [images] and Arshad Khan. The big exodus of players from Pakistan to the ICL comes despite some very stringent measures adopted by the Pakistan Cricket Board to discourage players from joining the league, which is not recognised by any of the member Boards of the International Cricket Council. The measures include not considering ICL-signed up players for national selection, banning them from domestic competitions and also refusing to give NOC's to those wishing to join English counties this season. Rana Naved, the former Pakistan pacer who is one of the affected players, has refused to back out of his ICL deal despite the PCB not clearing him to take up a contract with Yorkshire this season. "I have made a commitment and I will honor it no matter what happens. The Board is today making things difficult for me by telling my county they have nothing to do with me and will not give me an NOC to play county cricket," he said. "But I don't care, because, as it is, the board broke my spirit when no one bothered to find how I was doing when last year I was down with a shoulder injury and required medical assistance," he said. Some other players also said they joined the ICL after being disillusioned with the PCB's policies and have no intention of backing out of their ICL deals. Farhat said the players will file a petition in court against the ban on them and the reason for the delay is the political situation in the country. "Our lawyer, S M Zafar, has also been very busy handling constitutional and other election-related petitions," he said. PCB senior official Shafqat Naghmi said the Board's policies on the ICL remain unchanged and the players who had signed up for the league will have to live with the consequences until the matter is resolved.

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Rebel league draws more names The rebel Indian Cricket League (ICL) will stage its secondTwenty20 tournament from March 9 to April 7 with more formerinternationals signing on More... Rebel league draws more names Mar 1, 2008 The rebel Indian Cricket League (ICL) will stage its second Twenty20 tournament from March 9 to April 7 with more former internationals signing on. Heath Streak and Murray Goodwin of Zimbabwe, Wavell Hinds and Tino Best of West Indies, Nic Pothas of South Africa and Avishka Gunawardene of Sri Lanka are among the new players, organisers said on Saturday. Australians Michael Kasprowicz, Damien Martyn and Matthew Elliott signed this week, days after former Black Cap wicketkeeper Adam Parore announced he was to come out of retirement to play in the lucrative league. The ICL is bankrolled by the controllers of India's largest listed media firm but is not sanctioned by the International Cricket Council (ICC). The Indian cricket board recently introduced their multi-million dollar Twenty20 tournament, the ICC-sanctioned Indian Premier League, which starts on April 18. Most national boards have banned players taking part in the unofficial league. The inaugural ICL Twenty20 was held late last year and featured several former internationals, including Brian Lara of West Indies and Inzamam-ul-Haq of Pakistan.

[Guest Hiten.]

ICL goes Grand - announces 'ICL 20s Grand Championship' * Matches commence from March 9th to April 7th * Championship to be held in three venues across the country * The League adds 2 new teams – Ahmedabad Rockets & Lahore Badshahs * Adds high stature international players * Matches to be shown Live on Ten Sports & Zee Sports Mumbai, February 29, 2008: The Indian Cricket League (ICL) today announced its forthcoming tournament 'ICL 20s Grand Championship.' The Tournament promises 30-days of non-stop pulsating cricket starting March 9th to April 7th which will be held in three locations – Hyderabad, Chandigarh (Panchkula) and Gurgaon. Two new teams – Ahmedabad Rockets and Lahore Badshahs have also been added to the existing six teams, making the tournament more comprehensive and competitive. With international cricketers of high stature being added to the league, the quality of cricket is expected to be on par with international standards. Starting March 9th viewers can watch the high-octane 20over format matches on Ten Sports & Zee Sports. With a match every evening and double headers on specific week-ends, the tournament will have in total 34 matches. Each team will play against each other once in the league format, followed by semi-finals, third position classification match concluding with the best of three match finals. Announcing the Grand Championship, Kapil Dev, Chairman, Executive Board, Indian Cricket League (ICL) said, "Our first two tournaments have produced some high quality cricket. We are delighted to have added a new impressive player base which includes some quality fast bowlers, crafty spinners & explosive batsmen. Their participation in the league will provide the younger generation of cricketers valuable insights which will help them with their game. Personally, I am happy to see Pakistan being represented by the Lahore Badshah. We all have some great cricketing moments playing with them and I would like to see history repeat itself in the ICL." The Grand Championship will feature eight teams - Chennai Superstars, Delhi Giants, Mumbai Champs, Hyderabad Heroes, Kolkata Tigers, Chandigarh Lions, Ahmedabad Rockets and Lahore Badshahs. After two successful editions starting with the inaugural ICL 20-20 Indian Championship held at Chandigarh (Panchkula) and the keenly contested domestic ICL 50's held at Chennai & Hyderabad, this edition of the Grand Championship with a larger player base & multiple venue platform, will take league cricket in India to a new level. New players to watch out for in Grand Championship!!! * Adam Parore: One of the most consistent wicketkeeper batsman in international cricket, Adam has played the role of a senior pro for the New-Zealand bowlers from the pivotal wicketkeeper position and would be expected to translate the same cricketing stature at the ICL grand championship in March. * Avishka Gunawardane: the explosive left hand opening batsman from Sri-Lanka known for his attacking exploits with the bat in the international circuit . Avishka is a sure bet to enthrall the cricketing loving public in the twenty over format at the ICL grand championship in the march edition of the ICl. * Damien Martyn: Epitomizing grace in his batting exploits, this stylist middle-order batsman brings elegance and solidarity to the batting exhibition at display in the ICL. * Heath Streak: An integral part of the mercurial ascendancy of the Zimbabwe in world cricket. Streak being one of the best all-rounder of the last decade would be one of the major stars on display with both bat and ball. * Matthew Elliott: A technically competent opening batsman, Wisden Cricketer of the year 1998 and rich experience of being player-coach of the South Australian side, helps him fit in the ICL objective of taking Indian cricket to a new pedestal. * Michael Kasprowicz: the tall well-built Queenslander has always been known as the fast bowler with a big heart. A sub-continent specialist for the Australian side, his work ethics make him the ideal international star team mate needed by a promising domestic player to take his performance to the next level. * Mohammad Sami: One of the fastest bowlers of the last decade of international cricket, Sami with his slippery pace provides the challenge for young ICL domestic players to test their skills against one of the quickest bowlers in the world. * Murray Goodwin: A destructive top order batsman who has played the game with distinction at the highest level. His quick foot work, attacking stroke play & superb fielding skills make him an ideal player for the fast paced twenty over format game. * Mushtaq Ahmed: the master of the googly who has been instrumental for Surrey’s success in the English county , Mushy as he is known to his mates will display high quality leg spin for the fans of the ICL . His combination with Saqlain is arguably the most potent spin combination at ICL. * Nic Pothas: The South African wicket keeper is the ideal modern day wicketkeeper with all round abilities both with the bat and gloves . Flexible with his batting order, Nic comes with a very successful stint of big scores for Hampshire in the English county championship. * Saqlain Mushtaq: The inventor of the Doosra ,that changed the dimensions of Off – spin bowling in the world of cricket will add to ICL the much needed spin attack for the Badshah side. * Tino Best: Dynamite is the right metaphor to be used for this 5.8 fast bowler. Exuberance and speed are virtues of his trademark qualities as a fast bowler. * Wavell Hinds: A free flowing left hand opening batsman from Jamaica, who with his aggressive batting makes an ideal player for the twenty over format. http://indiancricketleague.in/news/news-75.html

[Dravid]

ahemdabad finally here :yay:

[f.b.m]

* Mohammad Sami: One of the fastest bowlers of the last decade of international cricket, Sami with his slippery pace provides the challenge for young ICL domestic players to test their skills against one of the quickest bowlers in the world.

Wow. *breathless* And why did the "rockets" title move 1500km south west? Gay.

[Zakhmi]

We will get some good cricket to see.

[f.b.m]

The tournament organisers have designed a special Salwar Kameez and waistcoat as the team's official outfit.

:laugh: Better than the pinky superstars, I guess.

[Zakhmi]

May against prejudiced attitude towards ICL Melbourne: Training its guns at national boards for their discriminatory attitude towards the ICL, the Federation of International Cricketers’ Association has argued players should be free to play in any tournament. Tim May, the chief executive of FICA, said his organisation “neither supports nor rejects the ICL†and their aim “is to ensure that players rights are upheld and that governing bodies do not unreasonably restrain players from plying their trade.â€

May said a player should not be taken to task by any national board for aligning with the ICL. “Where a player has chosen not to enter a contract with a particular governing body or alternatively has not been offered a contract the player should be free to play wherever he likes,†May was quoted as saying by a website. Recently, Pakistan and New Zealand boards refused to grant some of their players No-Objection Certificates to play for English county sides. May said such moves could be seen as an “anti-competitive behaviour.†“What we are now seeing is that governing bodies are introducing a variety of measures that will limit the ability of players who play in the ICL being considered for competitions under the jurisdiction of those (boards). “A governing body can devise its own qualification rules - it’s whether they are unlawful or not, whether these will be acceptable to player associations. These are where the issues of unreasonable restraint of trade, discrimination and various anti-competitive behaviour arise,†he said. more...

[Kartikey]

Indian Cricket League announces the Team Composition for ICL 20s Grand Championship Mumbai, March 03, 2008: The Indian Cricket League (ICL) today announced the team composition for ICL 20s Grand Championship. The overwhelming response that the ICL has received from the cricket fraternity around the world, has resulted in addition of two new teams, Ahmedabad Rockets & Lahore Badshahs. The eight international standard sides for ICL 20s Grand Champsionship, have the right combination of international & domestic players in all departments of the game. Announcing the team composition, Mr. Kapil Dev, Chairman-Executive Board, Indian Cricket League (ICL) said, "There has been a significant increase in the player base (both domestic and international players) to strengthen the teams in all departments of the game. A thorough thought process has gone in the selection of the players and the objective has been to strengthen the existing teams and not merely carry out the process of star assortment. The ICL still remains firm in its commitment of providing a platform to promising domestic players to play the game at the highest level and with players who have done the same at the international level of the game." The eight teams would be led by the following internationally acclaimed players: Mumbai Champs : Brian Lara Chennai Superstars : Stuart Law Kolkata Tigers : Craig Mcmillan Hydrebad Heroes : Chris Harris Delhi Giants : Marvan Attapatu Chandigarh Lions : Chris Cairns Ahmedabad Rockets : Damien Martyn Lahore Badshahs : Inzamam Ul Haq THE INDIAN CRICKET LEAGUE (ICL)'s TEAM PROFILE Mumbai Champs: The home of Indian cricket is represented by the Mumbai Champs in the Indian Cricket League (ICL). Led by the legendary Brain Lara, the Champs would look at improving their performance in comparison to their two previous outings at the Indian cricket league. The batting department for the Champs has clicked so far with some high scores in both the inaugural ICL 20s championship & the ICL 50s but it's their bowling which has led them down. With the inclusion of the fiery West Indian pacer Tino Best and the accurate Michel Kasprowicz, the bowling looks beefed up to take on the competition. With promising all-rounders Robin Morris and Kiran Powar & the inform batsman Dheeraj Jadhav in their line up, the Champs look all set to restore their supremacy in the Indian Cricket League. Ahmedabad Rockets: The Rockets represent one of the important cricketing regions (Gujarat) in the ICL. They will look to display their rich cricketing legacy on the ICL platform. The Rocket's batting will be lead by world class stylish batsman Damien Martyn ably supported by the explosive opening bat Wavell Hinds, Murray Goodwin & promising domestic batsmen like Sachin Dholpure, Sriram Sridharan & Anshu Jain. The Pace battery with Jason Gillespie, Heath Streak & India international Rakesh Patel would surely earn the respect of any batting side. The presence of John Emburey (former England spinner) as coach of the Rocket side will help the spin duo of Abhishek Tamarkar & Sumit Kalia Chennai Superstars: Undoubtedly the Kings of league cricket in India, Chennai Superstars have defined new parameters in the twenty over format. The batting revolves around the impressive Ian Harvey, ably supported Hemang Badani, Russel Arnold & Stuart Law. With the inclusion of the internationally acclaimed wicketkeeper-batsman Adam Parore, it will further strengthen the already formidable superstar batting line up. The bowling for the Superstars has been a critical weapon for their winning the first two editions of the ICL in the inaugural ICL20's & the domestic ICL 50's. A success story of the ICL philosophy, the Superstars bowling firepower displays the successful paring of an international Shabbir Ahmed with the impressive Indian players T Kumran & G Vignesh. In Michael Bevan, the Superstars have a coach who arguably was the best One-Day cricketer of his time. The ICL 20's Grand Championship in March will see the Chennai Superstars trying to maintain their supremacy in the ICL. Kolkata Tigers: The city of joy is represented by the spirited Kolkata Tigers. Led by the combative Craig Macmillan who led the Tigers by example during the inaugural tournament held in Panchkula. The Tiger's batting will revolve around captain Macmillan & the two impressive domestic players, Rohan Gavaskar & the prodigal Abhishek Jhunjhunwala. Their impressive all-rounder player list with the likes of Lance Klusner & Deep Dasgupta will receive a shot in the arm with the inclusion of the hard hitting bowling all-rounder Andre Adams from New Zealand. The bowling attack for the Tigers will be lead by the pacy Nantie Hayward & spinner Upul Chandana ably supported by the impressive domestic left arm pacer Eklak Ahmid. Delhi Giants: The Giants boast of maximum players from their lineup in the Top rankings of the ICL stats for both the batting and bowling departments in the recently concluded ICL 50's. Their impressive performance in the previous editions makes the capital city team one of the main contenders for the March edition of the ICL 20s Grand Championship. The Delhi Giant's batting revolves around the Sri-Lankan maestro, Marvan Attapatu ably supported by the impressive JP Yadav, MD Mishra & Abhinav Bali. The inclusion of attacking left hand opener Avishka Gunawardane & wicket keeper batsman Nic Pothas makes the giant batting lineup the most inform lineup leading to the tournament. Shane Bond's entry into the ICL with the Delhi Giants side will surely stir & shake a few opposition batsmen at the Grand Championship. Bond's partnership with Abid Nabi & spin sensation Ali Murtaza ably supported by the off breaks of the experienced Dale Benkenstien gives the Giant's bowling attack all the right ingredients to breakthrough any opposition batting. With the team at their disposal, the Giants would look to lay their hands on the Grand Championship trophy which they have narrowly missed in the two previous editions. Lahore Badshahs: Led by the legendary batsman Inzamam Ul Haq & coached by the combative Moin Khan, the Badshahs are all set to induct the great India-Pakistan rivalry into the ICL. The batting line up with the explosive opening batsmen Taufeeq Umar, Imran Farhat & Imran Nazir revolving around the great Inzi makes it a world class spectacle of batting prowess on display for the ICL fans at the ICL 20s Grand Championship. The pace attack led by the talented MD Sami & Riyaz Afridi, supported by the internationally acclaimed spin trio of Saqlain Mushtaq, Mushtaq Ahmed & Arshad Khan will present challenge for every opposition batsman. Every time the Badshahs step on the field at the ICL 20s Grand Championship, the fans will surely be treated to the great India-Pakistan rivalry at its best. Chandigarh Lions: After a dominant performance in their own backyard in the inaugural ICL 20s tournament at Panchkula, the Lions are one of the formidable sides in the forthcoming Grand Championship. Dinesh Mongia, TP Singh & Chetan Sharma ably supported by their charismatic captain Chris Cairns forms the batting backbone for the Lions. The inclusion of the solid opening Australian batsman Mathew Elliott into their batting fold is expected to bring consistency to the Lion's bating line up. The bowling led by the accurate Daryll Tuffy, Andrew Hall backed by the all round skills of Cairns & Dinesh Mongia, gives the Lions side a well balanced look. Hyderabad Heroes: With a history of producing some of the most stylish batsmen in the game, the Hyderabad Heroes is represented at the ICL by the supremely talented prodigal batsman Ambati Raydu. The strength of the side lies in the internationally acclaimed all-rounders of the likes of Abdul Razaq, Chris Harris & Nick Boje & ideally suited for the twenty over format. The signing of South African international Justin Kemp known for his explosive batting in crunch overs in the international circuit makes him one of the most exciting players plying his trade at the ICL. With domestic players like left hander Shashank Nag & medium pacer Kaushik Reddy coming good in the recently concluded ICL 50s , the Heroes will prove to be tough opponents for rival sides at the Grand Championship.

[Zakhmi]

'I had written permission from New Zealand board to join ICL' - Bond Shane Bond, the New Zealand fast bowler, has expressed regret over the way his international career has come to a halt. New Zealand Cricket banned Bond after he signed up with the Indian Cricket League but Bond told Cricinfo he sought the board's approval before he took up the offer and has a copy of the written permission. "I have written permission from them, only then did I join ICL. It's sad that they turned around later," Bond, who is currently in India, said. "I could have gone to court - and I'm sure I would have won the case - but I feared the Indian board would jump in and force NZC to cough up money if I'd been allowed to play for New Zealand. I didn't want it to get that ugly and chose to let it go." Asked whether he considered following the example of Mohammad Yousuf, who withdrew from his ICL contract and made himself available for the IPL, Bond demurred. "Once you sign up, you've got to honour the contract. That's the way I do things. The ICL have been very nice to me and I intend to do the right thing by playing for them."

more...

[Zakhmi]

Bond says weak boards to blame for ICL bans NEW DELHI (Reuters) - New Zealand fast bowler Shane Bond has accused national boards of succumbing to Indian pressure by banning players who join the country's unofficial Twenty20 league. The 32-year-old, a fearsome bowler despite an injury-plagued career, was axed from the Black Caps side in January and his contract with New Zealand Cricket (NZC) was terminated after he signed up with the rebel Indian Cricket League (ICL). The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) refused to grant approval to the ICL and later joined other major national boards to launch a multi-million dollar official version. "I'm just disappointed that players are getting banned. I just don't think that is fair," Bond told Reuters in an interview. "All boards want to make money and they have been quick to jump in with the BCCI, basically doing what they told them. "They (boards) are really the ones who are breaching contracts and probably aren't acting ethically very well." more...

[Zakhmi]

ICC needs to address ICL issue soon - Cairns Chris Cairns, the former New Zealand allrounder, says the ICC needs to step in soon before players from countries like New Zealand and West Indies opt en masse for the lucrative contracts in the the unsanctioned Indian Cricket League (ICL) over the contracts with their home boards. Cairns has called upon the ICC to create a window for the ICL and the IPL, besides revoking the bans on players joining the ICL. "The ICC are going to have to fix this - it is not a New Zealand Cricket issue, it's an ICC issue. I just hope that they create a window for players to be able to do it [play ICL and not be banned] - ICL and IPL," Cairns said. "West Indies will have this problem too, any country in fact where players are not that well remunerated. more...

[guju24]

are we going to have super selector for this new grand ICL 20 20 tournament...

[guju24]

Indian Cricket League unveils its Title Sponsor 'Edelweiss Capital' 05 Mar, 2008 Mumbai, March 05, 2008:The Indian Cricket League (ICL), today announced Edelweiss Capital Limited as the Title Sponsor for it’s upcoming tournament. The tournament will be called – Edelweiss 20s Challenge. The announcement came along with the unveiling of tournament logo at a press conference held in Mumbai. Speaking on the occasion Kapil Dev, Chairman, Executive Board, Indian Cricket League (ICL) said, “We welcome Edelweiss on board and are happy with the overwhelming response we have received from the market. Edelweiss’s association with the ICL is a support to young domestic Indian players who have been provided with an international standard platform, to display their cricketing talent. This support will be a sure step in strengthening domestic cricket in the country." Mr. Rashesh Shah, Chairman, Edelweiss Group said, "We are delighted to partner with ICL in promoting a sport that is a national obsession in India . The passion with which the sport is played and the new age 20/20 format that has caught the imagination of Indians, especially the youth is very compelling. And we are happy to be part of a movement which brings cricketing greats together with aspiring young cricketing talent across India." Starting March 9th to April 7th, the tournament promises 30-days of non-stop pulsating cricket which will be held in three locations – Hyderabad, Chandigarh (Panchkula) and Gurgaon. Two new teams – Ahmedabad Rockets and Lahore Badshahs have also been added to the existing six teams, making the tournament more comprehensive and competitive. With international cricketers of high stature being added to the league, the quality of cricket is expected to be on par with international standards. All cricket loving fans can watch the high-octane Edelweiss 20s Challenge on Ten Sports & Zee Sports. With a match every evening and double headers on specific week-ends, the tournament will have in total 34 matches. Each team will play against each other once in the league format, followed by semi-finals, third position classification match concluding with the best of three match finals.

[Feed]

Adam Parore : Return to an Indian summer Having not visited India for about six years, I've found the country has come a long way. The change in the quality of the infrastructure and the general development of the place is astounding and testament to a powerhouse economy... More... Adam Parore: Return to an Indian summer 5:00AM Saturday March 08, 2008 By Adam Parore Having not visited India for about six years, I've found the country has come a long way. The change in the quality of the infrastructure and the general development of the place is astounding and testament to a powerhouse economy that is changing the way Indians live. One thing that hasn't changed, however, is how much they love their cricket. We think we love our rugby but these guys are on a completely different level. The game is everywhere. News coverage of the Tri-Series win in Australia is at saturation point and the Indian Cricket League competition, where I will be playing for Chennai, is serious business and similarly resourced. The quality of the international players and the young Indians is a pleasant surprise. The list reads like a who's who of international cricket _ Brian Lara, Inzamam ul-Haq, Shane Bond, Michael Bevan, Mohammad Sami, Damien Martyn, Mustaq Ahmed _ the list goes on. Our practice match against Lahore _ packed with current and former Pakistani test players _ was played at a standard not too far below ODI level. The young Indian guys are phenomenally talented and two of our side have already played for India. The quality of the striking is at a level beyond anything seen in New Zealand and serves to enforce that with our wickets and conditions we are never going to produce world-class batsmen. Throw in a full quota of support and coaching staff for each side and you have a set-up that compares favourably to any sporting franchise. My brief is clear _ develop the young Indian players and pass on to them my experience on and off the field. The vision of ICL is a compelling one. It's an opportunity for us to play in an elite environment with the best young talent available and to help them develop to test quality. It is completely different from the Indian Premier League, in fact, the only thing the two competitions have in common is that they both play Twenty20. The ICL sides look reasonably evenly matched, although Lahore with its full quota of internationals probably has the strongest line-up. The fact that this tournament will be played in three stadiums in Hyderabad, Delhi and Chandigarh will mean a variety of wicket conditions and this, with the Twenty20 format, should keep things interesting right through to the finals.