Stars lured to cricket breakaway
July 25, 2007 |13:27 | By : Team X
SHANE Warne and Glenn McGrath could be back playing this summer in a multi-million-dollar breakaway Twenty20 tournament in the style of Kerry Packer's World Series Cricket.Stars lured to cricket breakaway: Glenn McGrath, left, and Shane Warne at their farewell Test in JanuaryThe managers of both recently retired champions are negotiating with the Indian Cricket League, created by India's biggest media company Zee Telefilms, to play a month of Twenty20 cricket for each of the next three years.Warne's proposed pay package is believed to be worth up to $2 million.Recently retired West Indian star Brian Lara yesterday became ICL's first major signing on a reported $500,000 a year.Tony Greig, one of the key players who helped Packer create World Series Cricket 30 years ago, is one of ICL's leading officials.The league proposes to field six teams -- each featuring four international players, two Indian stars and eight up and comers -- playing Twenty20 matches across India. The dates and venues for the series, which has not been recognised by the International Cricket Council or the Board of Control for Cricket in India, have yet to be announced. Indian great Kapil Dev, who captained India to its only World Cup title in 1983, is the ICL's chief executive. Former England skipper Greig, Dean Jones of Australia and ex-India wicket-keeper Kiran More are on the organising committee.
Warne's manager, James Erskine, said he had been in meetings with Greig and the head of sport for Zee TV, Himanshu Modi."They haven't offered what we have asked for, so negotiations are proceeding," Erskine told The Australian. "Provided the terms and conditions are right, Shane Warne will play, but it's a long way off before we get the contract signed."Warne, who is living in England, is committed as captain of Hampshire for the next two northern summers but Erskine said that would not prevent him playing in the tournament.Test cricket's leading wicket-taker plans to base himself in Melbourne from mid-October to March, and wants to be at home for Christmas.McGrath's manager, Warren Craig, confirmed he had had preliminary meetings with ICL officials some time ago but said there had been little progress recently. "We certainly haven't ruled it out," he said. "Now Lara has signed, things might start to hot up a bit. Things could start to move over the next week or so."Craig said there had not yet been any definitive discussions regarding money to lure McGrath out of retirement. "They haven't given us any indication," he said.Lara, 38, who retired in April as the highest run-scorer in Tests, confirmed he would take part in the Indian Cricket League."It gives me great pleasure to join the ICL," Lara said in a statement released by the organisers. "I look forward to playing with promising youngsters from India and elsewhere, along with some of my illustrious international counterparts who I've shared many an exciting moment with on the field."The first ICL tournament has been proposed for late October and November, immediately after the Australian team is scheduled to tour India for eight one-day matches in October.ICL, which carries a winner's purse of $US1million ($1.136million), is reminiscent of the late media mogul Packer's World Series Cricket, which took on the establishment in 1977.Packer recruited most of the world's top players for the rebel series after being denied official television rights by the Australian Cricket Board. Similarly, Zee Telefilms was rebuffed by the BCCI in 2004 despite making the highest bid, of $US308million, for Indian rights.
Dev has signed up World Cup-winning teammates Sandeep Patil, Madan Lal and Balwinder Sandhu, as coaches for three of the six proposed teams.The BCCI has barred current India players and former players on its payroll from associating with the ICL, but reports said secret talks were taking place with many active cricketers.BCCI secretary Niranjan Shah remained defiant."We don't want to promote anybody who wants to be a parallel body. We have a policy and there will not be any rethink on this."Additional reporting: Agencies
9 Comments
Asad Altaf
September 19, 2007 |15:29
I wan''t to just say that these trail,s should also bbe held in karachi so the players of karachi could also be a part of it and get the chance of being the the part of the team
M Bader Shahzad
September 27, 2007 |13:50
I am not a professtional cricketor so i join the cricket team. then which process would be followed please reply me
Naila Atta Bhatti
September 28, 2007 |20:10
hi iam naila i am form multan and iI wan''''t to just say that these trail,s should also bbe held in multan so the players of multan could also be a part of it and get the chance of being the the part of the team and no club in multan for women pleaseeeeeeeeeee creat a club for women in multan
Naila Atta Bhatti
September 28, 2007 |20:23
and i am very found of cricket and i wan to repesan pak women cricket team i 14 years old and i think k agrr pak women team mai mujh khelna ka chance mela to naomead nahi karoon gi or mere gozarahis hai k pcb ko women team ka lay bhi kuch karna chaye plaseeeeeeeeeeeeee women team ka lay koi club creat karin or aisa program women ka lay bhi hona chey omead hai k mblink or pcb mel kar mere baat par amal karthe hoi aik women club creat kain ga or sohaib ka khalf sakth sakth kawai kar ne chey koin k os na humroon say badtamize ki hai i think ka sohaib parr life lagna chey or ahar mai kahna choon gi aik agrr pcb na sohaib ka khalf noties na laya to pcb ko aik din pahtana pare go or sohaib tum insan nahi balka hawan hoo shame shame
Naila Atta Bhatti
September 28, 2007 |20:29
sohaib ka khlaf sakth sakth karwai karne chahey plaseeeeeeeeeeeeee or women ka lay club creat karian multan mai
arisha khan
September 30, 2007 |13:40
ya aik acha program hai mera talulk multan say hai mai pak women team mai khelna chathe hoon magrr yahna koi bhi club nahi hai jisa k mis naila na kaha yahan bhi aik women ka lay club bana chaye plaseeeeeeeeeee ya koi club tameer kain koin ka women bhi apna mulk ka nam roshan kar chathe hain plaseeeeeeeee hunt for herooes women ka lay hona chai plaseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee gor karain is baat parr or sohaib ka khalaf sakth karwai karin os parr life bain lagna chay or mere age 15 years hai mai aik allounder hoon agrr mujh or naila ko chance mela to hum dono mill kar mulk na nam roshan karain gi or gozaraish hai pcb say k wo hum ladies ka lay club creat kaian moblink ne agrr creat karla club multan mai women ka lay to hum sab women ose harzoon sal jane ki dowain dain gi thanx or mere id reema-rose786@yahoo.com
arisha khan
September 30, 2007 |13:51
ya aik acha program hai blaka bohat acha or agrr aisa program women s ka lay ho jay to kiaa hee baat hai or mera talloak multan say hai mai aik allronder hoon or multan mai bohat sa women team ka lay telaent hai margg bad kismatti say yahna koi women ka lay club nahi agrr women ka lay club creat kar diya jae to women apna mulk ka na nam roshan karain gi mere age 15 year hai mai bhi pak women team ka hisa bana chathe hoon agrr multan mai koi club women ka lay creat ho jay to mujsay players ko mulk ka nam bolndoon parr cala jay go ameed kar thi hoon ka pcb or moblink mel mulk ka nam roshan karain mai humare madad kain gay plaseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee humare naila or mere batt par amal karin thanx
arisha khan
October 2, 2007 |19:31
hi i am arisha khan from multan that ''''s\'''' good I wan''''t to just say that these trail,s should also bbe held in multan fo women so the players of multan could also be a part of it and get the chance of being the the part of the teamd program and breat a club for women in multan
Owais-ur-Rehman Khan.
October 6, 2007 |21:27
Respected sir,
i beg to say that,Im Owais ur Rehman khan, wanna take part in hunt for future programm but i lived in karachi ,these trials are not being taken here........im helpless....sir plz do something i wanna prove myself.....i aslo wanna be a part of cricket team....please sir do something......
i will be thankfull to you for this act of kindness.
thank you yours sincerly
Owais-ur-Rehman Khan
Id: owais_cheeta@hotmail.com
mb num # :0333 3138250
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