ECB chairman insists players will need permission

Clarke eases fears over IPL poaching

Cricinfo staff

March 22, 2008

	Kevin Pietersen has committed his immediate future to England, but will others be lured to the IPL in its second season? © Getty Images

Giles Clarke, the ECB chairman, has calmed speculation that England's top players could be lured into the financially lucrative Indian Premier League (IPL).

The IPL - which is officially sanctioned by the ICC, unlike the Indian Cricket League - has attracted some of the biggest names in world cricket. Dimitri Mascarenhas is the only Englishman to have signed up so far, largely due to the IPL clashing with the county season, but Clarke insists no player can be poached without the ECB's consent.

"We have a contract with BCCI,'' Clarke told Sky Sports. "In that contract, they're not allowed to take any English players of any kind to play in IPL if there is no 'No Objection Certificate' [NOC].

"IPL will not play any player who has not received an NOC."

Clarke would be powerless to prevent the likes of Kevin Pietersen joining the non-sanctioned ICL, although any player who went down that path could be barred from playing Test or county cricket in the future. Two days ago, the ECB rejection the registration of five county players for their association with the ICL.

"If they obtain a No Objection Certificate from their home board then we're going to consider their cases,'' Clarke said. "I don't think we're telling players they can't earn a living. We're saying here are the rules in our country. Our job is to nurture, to protect and to develop cricket in England and Wales. We make those judgements as to how we go about doing that. We do so with clarity, legally. If people from other countries have different views as to how we're doing that, I'm sorry but they're not in our country.

"We'll run the game according to our regulations and our rules and we expect them to comply. We have no interest in seeing rogue leagues in other countries develop. We have no interest in seeing rogue leagues in our country develop."

Some of England's higher profile names, such as Pietersen and Alastair Cook, have poured water on the attraction of the IPL, committing their immediate future to England. Ali Brown, Surrey's pugnacious batsman, also turned down an offer. However, earlier this month Lalit Modi, the Indian IPL commissioner, said the tournament's second season could be moved in order to accommodate England players.

© Cricinfo

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Comments have now been closed for this article Why is there such a big fuss about poaching of players. Isn't this is what England has bee doing for ages. County cricket has poached so many international players. Nobody has complained, but now when somebody has tried to be their match, they are reacting. Clark also says that 'we have a contract with BCCI'. This is nothing special. IPL has NOC related contracts with each and every nation. I think ICC has blundered and this is good if international players are forced to give importance to their respective national duties over IPL. They will in turn get less money and will eventually get less bidding after 3 years. This will help the under-19s and all those who are unlucky not to get selected for national duties (especially in India) will get chance. Posted by Jankajg on March 22 2008, 14:13 PM GMT Why does the question of the IPL poaching players from other countriesraise its head from time to time. Right from the start the BCCI and IPL have clearly stated that playing for the country will take precedence over the IPL and that the IPL will not have those players who donot have no-objection certificates from their controlling boards. I think that the ECB is just trying to downgrade and debunk the IPL - they would be better served if they organise an English 20-20 league of their own . The EPL never runs down the Serie A or the Primera Liga. Posted by preempalaver on March 22 2008, 12:30 PM GMT yes, definitely they will be attracted towards IPL may be not this year then next. They just want to pretend that they dont care about making extra money, but IPL is not only about money. It is about playing in a shortest version of the game with other international class players in the most passionate cricket playing nation on earth. It is a high profile tournament and ECB is playing mere politics. Since, they are also planning to launch a similar league as IPL in future; they dont want their players to get pre-equipped with IPL. Posted by lakshya1 on March 22 2008, 11:14 AM GMT yes they will be more tempted than major countriesto get xtra benefits and to get lot of practice and money too Posted by krishnakamal on March 22 2008, 10:45 AM GMT Top ^

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Lalit Modi

Kevin Pietersen

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