Twenty20 Champions League confirmed

[manoj_admlab]

Cricinfo staff June 7, 2008 http://content-ind.cricinfo.com/ci/content/current/story/353961.html The inaugural Champions League tournament, involving the domestic Twenty20 finalists from England, Australia, South Africa and the IPL, will take place over a 10-day period in late September and early October with US$5 million on offer for the winners. The fine detail is yet to be confirmed, but the event will feature 15 matches over 10 days, and will take place in either the Middle East or India. Alongside the huge sum for the winners, there will be significant prize money for the teams finishing second, third and fourth. Western Australia and Victoria from Australia, Rajasthan and Chennai from the IPL along with the Dolphins and Titans from the Pro20 in South Africa have already qualified. They will be joined by the two finalists from the English Twenty20 Cup, which starts next week. Following meetings late last week between the ECB, represented by chairman Giles Clarke and chief executive David Collier, Cricket Australia's chairman Creagh O'Connor and chief executive James Sutherland, an agreement was reached yesterday between Clarke, IPL commissioner and BCCI representative Lalit Modi, and Cricket South Africa president Norman Arendse. "We are extremely grateful to our great friends from Australia, India and South Africa for their hard work and determination to get this tournament off the ground," Clarke said. "The Twenty20 Cup will be even more fiercely contested this season in the knowledge that the two teams who reach the final will qualify for the Champions League and the chance to win US$5 million. "We are already aware of a number of broadcast and commercial partners who are anxious to become involved with cricket's latest exciting venture." More to follow

[Sachinism]

interesting Rajasthan and Chennai will be star-studded and they'll play normal sides

[bobbydhillon]

whats gonna happen if the oz or south african or english player plays both for ipl and his provincial side or club. who is he gonna play?

[CSK Fan]

No Pak team them?

[amits]

pak team will be there from 2009

[manoj_admlab]

IPL teams to get first pick on players - Modi

June 8, 2008

http://content-ind.cricinfo.com/ipl/content/current/story/354020.html Franchises from the Indian Premier League will get first priority over players for the proposed Champions League, and any team that fields a cricketer from the unofficial Indian Cricket League will be automatically disqualified from the international Twenty20 competition, Lalit Modi, the chairman of IPL, has said. However, Modi told Cricinfo that the Champions League was "still a long way away" and what has been agreed upon by various boards so far is "only an in-principle agreement" to host such an event. "The venues have not been decided, the dates are still open and we are trying to host the event this year," Modi said. The England and Wales Cricket Board had on Saturday issued a press release which said that the ECB, Cricket Australia, the BCCI and Cricket South Africa had "reached an agreement for the staging of the inaugural Champions League this autumn" for a top prize of US$ 5 million. However, Modi said he would be able to provide a clear picture only after the BCCI's working committee discusses the issue during a meeting scheduled on June 22. Asked about the Champions League's regulations, Modi, who is also a vice-president of the BCCI, said that "it had been clearly resolved earlier" that the IPL franchises would get priority over cricketers in their team. But the franchises will have to pay a "relieving fees" to the player's state team if both have qualified for the event, he said. Elaborating on the case of Michael Hussey, who is caught between Western Australia and Chennai Super Kings for the Champions League, Modi said, "In the case of Michael Hussey, Chennai Super Kings has the option to keep him and pay a relieving fees to Western Australia. The option is with Super Kings." However, players like David Hussey, whose IPL team, Kolkata Knight Riders, failed to qualify for the Champions League, will have to play for Victoria, he said. "In case of David Hussey, he has to play for his home team if his IPL team has not qualified. If his home team has qualified, which it has, then he plays for them. The county option is his third fall back," Modi said. Modi also clarified that "any ICL player playing for any team automatically disqualifies that team from participating" in the Champions League. "No exceptions will be made under any circumstances," Modi said. Currently, about 24 ICL players have been signed up to play for various English counties - the top two Twenty20 teams from England will join Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Super Kings from India, the Titans from Pretoria and KwaZulu Natal Dolphins representing South Africa and Western Australia and Victoria from Australia in the Champions League.

[umpire]

they should have invited top team from ICL too. It would have been fun.

[Zakhmi]

they should have invited top team from ICL too. It would have been fun.

:two_thumbs_up: well said and well claimed! certainly it would be a fair contest of champion! :yay::eyedance::icflove::eyedance::yay:

[Zap_Brannigan]

So chennai can field Hayden, flemming, hussey, Nitini, Murali, Oram and Morkel at the same time? Since i dont think they will have the 4 foreign player rule here.

[flamy]

It'd have been so much more interesting if the top two domestic teams from each country could participate, instead of IPL motley crews.