The lucrative new Twenty20 Champions League competition announced this weekend could put Australia’s state teams and the cashed-up Indian Premier League franchises on a collision course.
Finalists from Australia’s KFC Big Bash competition will join two teams from each of the domestic competitions in England, South Africa and the IPL in the $5 million whirlwind tournament scheduled for late September.
Western Australia and Victoria will represent Australia in the competition’s debut in late September.
Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland, who supported the latest addition to a rapidly expanding cricket calendar, said IPL franchises would get priority over states if a player was eligible for two sides in the Champions League.
Warriors star Mike Hussey would be eligible to play for first-year representatives Chennai or his home state in what may lead to a tense tug-of-war for the hard-hitting left-hander.
But that could be avoided with Sutherland revealing that a host of Australia’s Test stars would be unlikely starters in the event which is tipped to be staged in India or the Middle East.
“There’s a couple of steps there in terms of the regulations that need to be determined. I know the IPL teams are very keen to have their players playing in the event,” Sutherland said in Melbourne on Sunday.
“The other is the actual availability of Australian players. I think leading into the Test series against India, which starts in the first week of October, it’s probably unlikely that too many of our Test players will be available to play.”
He said the availability issues would be addressed in the coming months but the high-paying Indian teams would likely get their way.
“It’s something we need to work out as we determine the regulations but there is probably a high likelihood that where an IPL team wants those players they will be cleared to play for those IPL teams,” Sutherland said.
“We need to work out what the terms or conditions are on that release.”
Fifteen matches over a 10-day period will take place immediately after the end of the Champions Trophy in Pakistan, which concludes on September 28.
Shane Warne’s IPL champions Rajasthan Royals and runners-up Chennai Super Kings will be joined by Victoria, Western Australia, the Titans of Pretoria, and KwaZulu-Natal Dolphins.
England’s representatives will be drawn from the finalists in the Twenty20 Cup.
Sutherland, back from India where he watched the IPL final, said he hoped the fixture would become a permanent one.
“It’s certainly good prize money. I think $5 million to be shared amongst the teams,” he said.
“We are very pleased that there is a lot at stake and I’m sure our players from Victoria and Western Australia will be very excited at the prospect of playing on the international stage.”
SOURCE: John Clark,Sportal
