It does not look like the IPL is going in the right direction. While the court cases against BCCI may not affect them too much monetarily, they sure are the small cuts that are bleeding them little by little. It is hardly a distraction that is needed for both, the BCCI and the IPL.

Unfortunately, the manner in which the things are going, one cannot help but feel that even if the IPL gets played as scheduled, it will be done under a cloud of hatred and suspicion.

This is why it is necessary the two sides playing the off-field games get their issues out of the way and allow the games to go on as planned. Till about some months back, IPL was the only club-level, franchise-based cricket tournament. Australia have joined the fray now. Their KC Big Bash will turn into a franchise-based model from the next year and while it is difficult to compare the magnitude of the two, the hold that BCCI has could reduce further.

The question is whether this huge elephant by the name of BCCI can put its ego aside and try and get the act together.

Read the original Post Here: Time for BCCI to get their IPL issues aside

The auction for the fourth edition of the IPL will be held on January 8 and 9 as was planned earlier and will see 416 players being a part of it. The decision to not pursue the case against Punjab and Rajasthan was taken by the BCCI and that means that the fourth edition of the tournament will have ten teams and 74 games.

This will also mean that only 12 players have been retained by the eight teams who had played in the previous edition of the tournament. The remaining 416 have been divided into four brackets of the base prices of $400,000, $300,000, $200,000 and $100,000 depending on their performances in the past and their brand value.

The base price means that the teams will be able to start their bidding at that price. So, if a Tamim Iqbal is at $100,000, he can still be bought at a million bucks if there is enough demand for him from at least two teams.

Read the original Post Here: 416 players for IPL auctions next year

The much-talked-about Kochi franchise in the Indian Premier League (IPL) has thrown up yet another surprise. Just days after the owners – having failed to resolve their differences – sent a letter to BCCI withdrawing from the league, Kisan Gaikwad, chairman of Rendezvous Sports World Pvt Ltd (RSWPL), claimed that the “issue has been resolved”.

“Things have finally been resolved and we are very happy. The equity structure is yet to be decided but there has been an understanding. Hopefully, now the franchise will not be lost,” Gaikwad told TOI.

Sunday’s Governing Council meeting in Nagpur will finally reveal whether Gaikwad’s claims are indeed endorsed by BCCI. It is being said that the Gaikwad family has agreed to bring down its holding in the franchise from 26% to 10% and may even pay for up to 5% (out of the 10%) of that equity.

BCCI president Shashank Manohar has been insisting through the last 30 days that the final decision on Kochi would be taken only after November 27, the deadline given to the squabbling investors to resolve their differences which primarily revolve around the shareholding pattern and overall control of the franchise’s cricketing operations.

It is learnt that the two warring parties have decided to appoint a board to look after the cricketing operations.

While the ball is in BCCI’s court, the buzz over the compromise in Kochi ranks gripped the IPL fraternity on Saturday evening.

“The last thing BCCI would want is a fresh auction because the earlier auctions weren’t a very pleasant experience. If Kochi shows signs of a compromise, that is the best thing the board can expect and Kochi seems to have done just that,” an official in the know of developments said.

On the eve of the previous governing council meeting (held on October 27), TOI had reported that the warring parties were willing to come to a compromise before talks fell through.

Source : Times of India

Read the original Post Here: Fresh twist: Gaikwad says IPL Kochi in

WELLINGTON: The era of New Zealand cricketers earning easy money in the Indian Premier League might end, as the IPL franchisees are deciding to cut back on the number of foreign players.

When the IPL competition was introduced, it was seen as a lucrative short-term earner for the Black Caps, but now only the elite will be recruited.

Daniel Vettori, Brendon McCullum and Ross Taylor are likely to be chosen without hesitation for IPL 4, but other New Zealand players will struggle.

All international teams except the West Indies and Pakistan, who will be playing each other in a series, have created a window in their calendars to cater for the IPL. That means more players are available for longer periods, the NZ Herald reports.

Franchises are likely to need only seven to eight overseas players rather than the 10 used previously. Only four non-Indian players are allowed on the field at any one time.

Any Black Caps selected in IPL 4 will likely earn more pro rata than in the past because they will be there for the tournament duration rather than just a few weeks, the paper said.

However, the contracts offered at the player auction on January 8 are estimated as likely to be 25-30 per cent less than in the past, it added.

Most player agents are believed to be communicating with the Indian franchises regularly.

Only seven franchises are currently locked into IPL 4 but eight teams are expected because that will make the competition easier to plan.

Source : Times of India

Read the original Post Here: No more easy money for New Zealand players in IPL 4

The IPL governing council is in a quandary. And why not. The IPL dates had barely come out that they were taken to the court by both, Kings XI Punjab and Rajasthan Royals and now will need to look closely at the auctions.

If the player auctions cannot happen in January and the court case drags on for another couple of months, the auctions will happen in March. The other issue is that if the BCCI loses the case to either of the two – Punjab or Rajasthan, and the teams are allowed to play in the IPL, there will be a sour taste left that will hinder the talks between BCCI and the franchises.

Just how will the BCCI and the Royals and Punjab team owners sit in the same room after the case is resolved in favour of the two teams?

Secondly, what would the other franchises thinking? What if the BCCI decide to postpone the IPL. Or cancel it? The teams will stand to lose a lot of money because of that. This could also lead to the remaining franchises going to court over it as well!

So, loads of problems for the BCCI to discuss about!

Read the original Post Here: Lots of questions for the BCCI to think about IPL

Michael Hussey, an important part of Australia’s middle order, has said that he was forced to play in the Champions League Twenty20 right till the end of the tournament

Read the original Post Here: Hussey wanted to leave CLT20 early

Cricket Australia has downgraded its rating of Test cricket after its chief executive James Sutherland said there was now “a fine balance” between the priorities of five-day fixtures and the Twenty20 Champions League

Read the original Post Here: Cricket Australia changes tune on Test value

Cricket Australia has downgraded its rating of Test cricket after its chief executive James Sutherland said there was now “a fine balance” between the priorities of five-day fixtures and the Twenty20 Champions League

Read the original Post Here: Cricket Australia changes tune on Test value

The benefits of having Indian participation through a global cricket tournament have been underlined in the television ratings for the 2010 Champions League Twenty20 held in South Africa

Read the original Post Here: Big jump in CLT20 television ratings

Michael Hussey, an important part of Australia’s middle order, has said that he was forced to play in the Champions League Twenty20 right till the end of the tournament

Read the original Post Here: Hussey wanted to leave CLT20 early