England Players Not To Participate In Indian Premier League

Kevin Pietersen and other leading England players face potential collision with the ECB over their desire to cash in on the riches of the Indian Premier League (IPL) next year after Giles Clarke, the board chairman, said that participation would be a risk too far before the 2009 Ashes.

Sean Morris, the chief executive of the Professional Cricketers' Association, accused Clarke of behaving like King Canute in his hardline stance against the competition, reiterated yesterday at the official launch of the new season, which begins at Lord's on Thursday. The inaugural IPL starts eight days later.

Speaking in The Times on Saturday, Pietersen described as “ridiculous” the fact that England-contracted players will not be involved and others have approached Morris to find out more about the tournament. But they will be unable to participate unless they are given a No Objection Certificate from the ECB.

Clarke appears unmoved by the strength of Pietersen's feeling or by the fact that a tour to the West Indies, scheduled to finish around the second week of March next year, would allow a month to recuperate if the IPL takes place at the same time in the calendar.
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“When I became chairman of the ECB people were talking about player burnout,” Clarke said. “The West Indies tour may be brought forward for the simple reason that we want a break before the Ashes series.” Asked about Pietersen, Clarke said: “I cannot see Peter Moores [the head coach] determining he wishes to release him. What would people say if a player was released to play in the IPL, got injured and could not play all summer?”

Saying that Pietersen was “not doing that badly” on the money front, Clarke added: “We are putting in place very significant payments to England sides for winning series. People who turn up exhausted after flying around playing IPL games are not necessarily in a position to help their fellow players to earn those significant rewards.”

Morris questioned the ECB stance. He said: “I can't see how that is sensible tactics when, if the players get frustrated and unhappy, they now have an alternative. You cannot fight the marketplace. We should look to capitalise and develop, not be King Canute.”
Dimitri Mascarenhas, who is not centrally contracted, will be the only Englishman in the first IPL. He said: “The franchises want the best players and they have got them from everywhere except England. I hope the ECB will listen because there is room for players to represent England and play in the IPL.”
Andrew Caddick, the former England bowler, suggested that some players may turn down the next central contracts. “Somebody may go to the IPL and back himself to get his England place back,” Caddick said. “I think that at least one England player will be involved within 12 months.”