Harbhajan suspended after 'slap'

Harbhajan tried to play down the incident following the game

India off-spinner Harbhajan Singh has been suspended pending an inquiry into claims he slapped an opposition player during an Indian Premier League game.

Harbhajan was captaining Mumbai Indians when he allegedly slapped Kings XI Punjab and India paceman Sree Santh.

TV pictures showed Santh crying at the end of the game, which his side won.

Harbhajan misses his team's next game against Deccan Chargers on Sunday and India's board of control will hold an inquiry into the incident on Monday.

"The BCCI condemns the behaviour of Harbhajan Singh as a contracted player of the board.

"And he is called upon to explain why disciplinary action should not be taken against him and has been asked for clarification by Monday evening," board secretary Niranjan Shah said.

BBC reporter Rahul Tandon said: "This is now going to be a big issue for those who are running the IPL to deal with.

"The Punjab side, coach Tom Moody and captain Yuvraj Singh - who is very good friends with Harbhajan - may well make an official complaint about his behaviour.

"It's the only story in town and it's going to develop. This story is going to dominate the news for the next couple of days.

"I would think the IPL will have to come down very strongly on this."

Yuvraj described the incident as "unacceptable" but revealed Harbhajan had visited their dressing room after the game to apologise to Santh. All three are team-mates in India's national side.

Harbhajan, in a TV interview, insisted the matter was not serious.

"It is not such a big issue the way people are making it out to be. It is between me and Sree," he commented.

Harbhajan is leading the Mumbai team because Sachin Tendulkar, who celebrated his 35th birthday on Thursday, is struggling with a groin injury, but they have lost all three IPL matches so far.

the IPL is going to be massive --Justin Langer column -

Justin Langer column

By Justin Langer Former Australia batsman and Somerset captain

Cricket administrators worldwide have a delicate challenge on their hands in the way they handle the electricity being generated by the Indian Premier League.

The world's best players rub shoulders in the IPL

On the one hand they will need to capitalise on the vast finances and incredible global interest being generated by the IPL.

On the other they must ensure that all the best players are available to play in every other reputable competition taking place around the world.

The great challenge is to find a balance where the IPL becomes a cornerstone event which promotes our game in the most positive way possible.

International and domestic sides must also ensure that they have their best players playing to protect the integrity of the game worldwide.

There is no doubt in my mind that the IPL is going to be massive

As I watched the first few games on TV from India last weekend there was no doubt in my mind that the IPL is going to be massive.

The build-up has been equal to any of the great sporting events including the Olympic Games and any World Cup tournament.

To say the auction process was spectacular is an understatement and from what we have seen the hype of the games is living up to expectations.

I have been brought up on Australian Rules football and therefore, to the shock horror of all of my English friends, I am not necessarily a devoted soccer fan.

This said, I love watching the Premier League because I can enjoy the world's best players plying their brilliant trade week in week out on the fields of England.

Turn on to Manchester United and the great Ronaldo is rubbing shoulders with Wayne Rooney, Patrick Evra and Carlos Tevez.

Retiring from international cricket, I thought, would spell the end of encounters with Andrew Flintoff and Kevin Pieterson

Equally, tune into IPL's Chennai Super Kings and Matty Hayden, Mike Hussey, Jacob Oram and Muttiah Muralitharan are being led by cricket's current hottest property in Mahendra Dhoni.

While the Super Kings may not be a household name right now, they may well be in the near future.

Even as an ardent cricket purist I love playing and watching Twenty20 cricket and I have to say the IPL spectacle has been nothing short of phenomenal.

While it would have been brilliant to be a part of the first season of IPL (I am contracted to play for the Jaipur-based Rajasthan Royals from 2009), I have to say it is great to be back in England and captaining Somerset.

Langer will spend this season with Somerset before joining the IPL

Last season left me with many cherished memories but while winning the second division with Somerset is one thing, being a part of the first division is another.

Retiring from international cricket, I thought, would spell the end of any more encounters with players of the calibre of Andrew Flintoff and Kevin Pietersen.

But in the next week I will be back locking horns with these two English gladiators.

There are few greater competitors in this country and the first division will allow me and my team-mates the opportunity to challenge ourselves against the best players and the best teams.

Having come from the bottom of the second division last year I have no doubts that Somerset are in for a battle all summer.

But I am hoping the momentum and confidence gained from last year will at least count for something.

Like the IPL, the best part of playing first-class and international cricket is having the opportunity to test yourself against the best players.

That is why the administrators must get it right over the next 12 months to ensure this happens consistently.

From Taunton,
JL

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Lasith Malinga , To Be Out Of IPL Matches in India

Malinga doubt for IPL kick-off

Lasith Malinga © Getty Images

Sri Lanka paceman Lasith Malinga has admitted he is struggling to be fit for the start of the Indian Premier League, which gets under way this month.

Malinga has been troubled by a niggling knee problem which has kept him out of Sri Lanka’s ongoing tour of West Indies.

The 24-year-old was signed by Mumbai Indians at the IPL players’ auction in February but has now revealed he may not be fit in time for the start of the tournament.

“I‘ve had this injury in Australia and played with it,” Malinga explained. “However as it got worse I couldn’t tour the West Indies too.

“I would have loved to be with the team and enjoy its success. I am still under treatment and working hard.

“It is tough at this stage to be sure about IPL, but I am very hopeful I can make it.”

Mumbai Indians open their IPL campaign against Bangalore Royal Challengers on April 20.

McCullum fireworks mark IPL's bow

McCullum hit 13 sixes in an exhilarating display of batting

The Indian Premier League, with its potential to transform world cricket, began on Friday with a spectacular floodlit match in Bangalore.

The sell-out crowd of 55,000 was treated to a remarkable innings from New Zealand's Brendon McCullum.

Playing for the Kolkata Knight Riders he hit 158 not out, the highest ever individual Twenty20 score, as his side romped to a 140-run win.

The cricket was preceded by a lavish opening ceremony at the ground.

Acrobats, singers and cheerleaders from the Washington Redskins performed to a backdrop of some impressive fireworks.

But the home team, the Bangalore Royal Challengers, were soundly beaten, and there was one other sour note.

A row about the restrictions placed on international news agencies Reuters, AP and AFP led to all three boycotting coverage.

It meant websites and newspapers were unable to show photos from either the match or the opening ceremony.

When the action started some of the smartest kits ever seen in cricket were on show.

If a supporter of the Punjab franchise celebrates wildly when Lee shatters Tendulkar's stumps in Mumbai for a duck then the IPL will have broken new territory BBC cricket correspondent Jonathan Agnew

The Knight Riders, part-owned by Bollywood superstar Shahrukh Khan, wore black with gold trim, and gold helmets, pads and gloves.

The home team, led by former India captain Rahul Dravid, wore red, yellow and orange.

Two hours before the match was due to start, music began pumping out of giant speakers at the M Chinnaswammy Stadium.

Long queues gathered outside, although as most of the stands were already full many fans had to be turned away.

Those lucky enough to get into the ground cheered as the eight captains, all smartly dressed in suits, were introduced to them.

Board of Control for Cricket in India chairman Sharad Pawar said: "This is an historic day for world cricket.

"The world is watching what is happening in Bangalore.

Behind the scenes ahead of the first game

"In 44 days, 123 Indian players and 73 overseas players are going to play 59 matches in eight different places.

"I am confident there is an opportunity for the world's senior players to teach the new young players which will build a strong future team for India."

Acting International Cricket Council president Ray Mali thanked the Bangalore organisers and said cricket "was being taken to the next level".

The contests between the league's eight teams will feature nearly all of the top names in the game, and they will be closely watched in England, the birthplace of Twenty20 cricket.

The England and Wales Cricket Board is in talks with an American billionaire to set up its own version of the IPL, but on Friday the attention was squarely on India.

With the final in Mumbai on 1 June, fans should see some mouthwatering cricket with the likes of Sachin Tendulkar (Mumbai), Ricky Ponting (Kolkata) and Matthew Hayden (Chennai) facing the bowling of Brett Lee (Punjab), Shane Warne (Rajasthan) and Glenn McGrath (Delhi).

The stars will get around £100,000 a week during the tournament, putting them on similar pay to the world's top footballers, albeit for a limited period.

It will also be a new experience for the fans.

BBC cricket correspondent Jonathan Agnew said: "The success or failure of the IPL lies with the Indian supporters who are fanatical about cricket but only until now about the national team.

"If a supporter of the Punjab franchise celebrates wildly when Lee shatters Tendulkar's stumps in Mumbai for a duck then the IPL will have broken new territory."

Kolkata coach John Buchanan, owner Shah Rukh Khan & captain Sourav Ganguly

It has not all been plain sailing for the IPL organisers, however.

As well as having to cope with the agency boycott, they watched a severely one-sided match on Friday, with the Royal Challengers beaten by 140 runs.

Meanwhile, star names Tendulkar, Anil Kumble and Nathan Bracken are injured and out of the opening exchanges.

The most exciting fast bowler around, South Africa's Dale Steyn, is playing domestic cricket for the Titans back home and will also miss the start.

And England's only representative, Dimitri Mascarenhas, will only be released from Hampshire duty for a fortnight some time in May.

Inter-provincial Twenty20 tournament

Inter-provincial Twenty20 tournament Sri Lankan stars to miss inter-provincial Twenty20 Sa'adi Thawfeeq April 16, 2008 Jehan Mubarak will lead Kandurata in Mahela Jayawardene's absence © Getty Images With the Indian Premier League just days away from its launch, followed immediately by the conclusion of the Indian Cricket League's second season, Twenty20 cricket has caught on like a virus. Sri Lanka will have its own version with its inaugural six-team inter-provincial tournament scheduled to take off on Thursday. With the national team away in the Caribbean, and a few seniors set to take part in the IPL, the tournament has opened the doors for many budding cricketers trying to make their mark at this level. The inter-provincial limited overs series which was held in December and January was, however, fortunate to have the full contingent of national players. Jehan Mubarak and Kaushalya Weeraratne will have big shoes to fill when they lead Kandurata and Wayamba respectively, which shared the inter-provincial limited-overs title. Weeraratne will be taking over from Kumar Sangakkara and Mubarak from Mahela Jayawardene. With the unavailability of Chaminda Vaas, Tillakaratne Dilshan and Sanath Jayasuriya (all to IPL) Basnahira North will be led by Thilina Kandamby, Basnahira South by Prasanna Jayawardene and Ruhuna by Indika de Saram respectively. However for the first two matches on April 17 and 18, both Mubarak and Weeraratne will not be available due to their commitments in the West Indies. In their absence, Wayamba will be led by Jeevantha Kulatunga and Kandurata by Thilan Samaraweera as the province's vice-captain Chamara Kapugedera is also in the Caribbean. In addition, Ajantha Mendis, Mahela Udawatte and Ishara Amerasinghe (all Wayamba), Thilan Thushara (Kandurata), Nuwan Kulasekera (Basnahira North), Upul Tharanga (Ruhuna) who are all also in the Caribbean, will miss the first two games as they are due to return only on April 18. One unique feature is the introduction of a Schools Invitation XI, led by Dinesh Chandimal, which comprises as many as eight of the 14 cricketers who represented Sri Lanka in the Under-19 World Cup in Malaysia. Ashan Priyanjan, Thisara Perera, Dimuth Karunaratne and Sachith Pathirana - four from the World Cup squad - have been included in the Ruhuna, Wayamba and Kandurata teams. Sidath Wettimuny, the Inter-provincial committee chairman, said there would be mixed reactions to exposing a Schools XI to Twenty20 cricket, but reasoned that it would expose them to the domestic level and give an opportunity to play under pressure against the best cricketers in the country. Each team will play five matches in the first round before which the top four teams qualify to play in the Super Four round on a league basis. The top two teams in the Super Four will qualify for the final, whcih carries prize money worth Rs 2,250,000. The losing finalist will receive Rs 1,125,000.The Man of the Tournament carries prize money worth Rs 50,000 while the Man of the Final gets Rs 25,000. © Cricinfo

Mahela Jayawardene will not feature for Derbyshire this season

No Jayawardene for Derbyshire

Cricinfo staff

April 16, 2008

Mahela Jayawardene will not feature for Derbyshire this season owing to fixture clashes, the county has announced. Fans will be disappointed but perhaps not surprised after an already short stint was squeezed further by international demands.

Jayawardene, the Sri Lanka captain, had planned to arrive after the Indian Premier League but with the Asia Cup being moved forward to June and changes to India's tour of Sri Lanka, there was too little time to make even a shortened contract worthwhile, the county said.

"This is obviously a disappointment but the landscape of cricket worldwide is changing very rapidly," said Derbyshire's chief executive Tom Sears, "and we are forced to accept that. Unfortunately circumstances have changed in recent weeks."

John Morris, the head of cricket, added: "It is a shame that Mahela won't be coming this year but we took the sensible option of securing Chris Rogers' services some weeks ago and he will play as our overseas player."

Morris said that Derbyshire may look to bring someone in specifically for the Twenty20 Cup if Rogers does not play the whole season. "That is something we will decide together in the coming weeks.

"We have left things on a very positive note with Mahela and there is a strong possibility we will look at him coming to Derbyshire at some stage in the future."

Jayawardene said: "I was really looking forward to playing for Derbyshire this season and I am very disappointed that the dates did not work this time. I wish the club success during the coming season and hope that one day I will be able to play for them."

© Cricinfo

Indian Premier League team guide

By Simon Austin -BBC

After weeks of hype and controversy, the Indian Premier League finally gets under way in Bangalore on Friday.

Bangalore Royal Challengers will face Kolkata Knight Riders to kick off a six-week tournament featuring most of the finest talents in the world game.

The highest-paid players will be earning weekly salaries normally associated with Premier League footballers and it seems no exaggeration for co-founder IS Bindra to describe the IPL as "a new milestone in the cricketing history of the world".

606: DEBATE Which team will win the IPL?

Here is a guide to the eight teams that will be contesting the inaugural IPL and bidding to reach the final in Mumbai on 1 June.

---

Name: Bangalore Royal Challengers

Owner: Vijay Mallya

Ground: M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore

Coach: Venkatesh Prasad

Captain: Rahul Dravid

Star player: Jacques Kallis

Most expensive player: Rahul Dravid, annual salary US$1,035,000
(ICON PLAYER, earning 15% more than next highest earner in franchise)

Squad: Jacques Kallis, Mark Boucher, Dale Steyn (South Africa), Nathan Bracken, Cameron White (Australia), Shivnarine Chanderpaul (West Indies), Misbah-ul Haq (Pakistan), Abdur Razzak (Bangladesh), Ross Taylor (New Zealand), Anil Kumble, Zaheer Khan, Wasim Jaffer, Praveen Kumar, Sunil Joshi, B Akhil, Vinay Kumar, Devraj Patil, Bharat Chipli, KP Appanna, B Arun Kumar, Virat Kohli, Sreevats Goswami.

Total cost of squad: US$5,795,000

Odds: 6/1 (odds provided by William Hill and correct as of 11/04/08)

---

Name: Chennai Super Kings

Owner: India Cements

Ground: MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai

Coach: Keppler Wessels

Captain: Mahendra Singh Dhoni

Star player: Mahendra Singh Dhoni

Most expensive player: Mahendra Singh Dhoni, $1.5m

Squad: Matthew Hayden, Michael Hussey (Australia), Stephen Fleming, Jacob Oram (New Zealand), Makhaya Ntini, Albie Morkel (South Africa), Muttiah Muralitharan (Sri Lanka), Suresh Raina, S Badrinath, Parthiv Patel, Joginder Sharma, Lakshmipathi Balaji, Napolean Einstein, Abhinav Mukund, Sudeep Tyagi, Rashwin, Viraj Kadbe, Vidyut Sivaramakrishnan, Anirudha Srikkanth, P Amarnath, S Sresh Kumar, Arun Karthik and Shadab Jakati (India).

Total cost: $6,225,000

Odds: 10/3 favourites

---

Name: Deccan Chargers

Owner: Deccan Chronicle

Ground: Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium, Hyderabad

Coach: Robin Singh

Captain: VVS Laxman

Star player: Andrew Symonds

Most expensive player: Andrew Symonds, $1.35m

Squad: Adam Gilchrist, Andrew Symonds (Australia), Chaminda Vaas, Nuwan Zoysa, Chamara Silva (Sri Lanka), Hershelle Gibbs (South Africa), Scott Styris (New Zealand), Shahid Afridi (Pakistan), VVS Laxman, RP Singh, Rohit Sharma, Venugopala Rao, Pragyan Ojha, Halhadar Das, Dwaraka Ravi Teja, Arjun Yadav, Paidikalva Vijay Kumar, Kalyan Krishna, Sarveesh Kumar, Sanjay Bangar (India).

Total cost: $6,105,000

Odds: 4/1

---

Name: Delhi Daredevils

Owner: GMR Holdings

Ground: Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi

Coach: Greg Shipperd

Captain: Virender Sehwag

Star player: Virender Sehwag

Most expensive player: Virender Sehwag, $833,750 (ICON PLAYER)

Squad: Tillakaratne Dilshan, Farveez Maharoof (Sri Lanka), Daniel Vettori (New Zealand), Glenn McGrath, Brett Geeves (Australia), Mohammad Asif, Shoaib Malik (Pakistan), AB de Villiers (South Africa),Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Manoj Tiwary, Shikhar Dhawan, Dinesh Karthik, Rajat Bhatia, Mithun Manhas, Mayank Tehlan, Pradeep Sangwan, Yo Mahesh (India).

Total cost: $6,372,500

Odds: 7/1

---

Name: King's XI, Punjab

Owner: Preity Zinta, Ness Wadia, Karan Paul and Mohit Burman

Ground: Punjab Cricket Association Stadium, Mohali

Coach: Tom Moody

Captain: Yuvraj Singh

Star player: Brett Lee

Most expensive player: Yuvraj Singh, $1,063,750 (ICON PLAYER)

Squad: Simon Katich, Luke Pomersbach, Brett Lee, James Hopes, Shaun Marsh (Australia), Kyle Mills (New Zealand), Ramnaresh Sarwan (West Indies), Mahela Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara (Sri Lanka), Yuvraj Singh, Karan Goel, Uday Kaul, Tanmay Srivastava, Sahil Kukreja, Sunny Sohal, Irfan Pathan, Ramesh Powar, Pankaj Dharmani, Nitin Saini, Wilkin Mota (India).

Total cost: $6,503,750

Odds: 13/2

---

Name: Kolkata Knight Riders

Owner: Shah Rukh Khan, Juhi Chawla & Jai Mehta

Ground: Eden Gardens, Kolkata

Coach: John Buchanan

Captain: Sourav Ganguly

Star player: Chris Gayle

Most expensive player: Sourav Ganguly, $1,092,500 (ICON PLAYER)

Squad: David Hussey, Ricky Ponting (Australia), Salman Butt, Mohammad Hafeez (Pakistan), Tatenda Taibu (Zimbabwe), Chris Gayle (West Indies), Akash Chopra, Cheteshwar Pujara, Rohan Banerjee, Yashpal Singh, Debabrata Das, Sourav Ganguly, Wriddhiman Saha, Brendon McCullum, Ajit Agarkar, Iqbal Abdulla, Laxmi Ratan Shukla, Ishant Sharma, Shoaib Akhtar, Murali Kartik, Umar Gul, Siddarth Kaul, Ranadeb Bose, Sourashish Lahiri (India).

Total cost: $6,222,500

Odds: 6/1

---

Name: Mumbai Indians

Owner: Reliance Industries

Ground: Nerul, Mumbai

Coach: Lalchand Rajput

Captain: Sachin Tendulkar

Star player: Sachin Tendulkar

Most expensive player: Sachin Tendulkar, $1,121,250 (ICON PLAYER)

Squad: Loots Bosman, Ashwell Prince, Shaun Pollock (South Africa), Dilhara Fernando, Sanath Jayasuriya, Lasith Malinga (Sri Lanka), Luke Ronchi, Dominic Thornely (Australia), Sachin Tendulkar, Abhishek Nayar, Ajeenkya Rahane, Ankeet Chauhan, Ashish Nehra, Dhaval Kulkarni, Gaurav Dhiman, Harbhajan Singh, Manish Pandey, Musavir Khote, Pinal Shah, Rajesh Pawar, Robin Uthappa, Rohan Raje, Saurabh Tiwary, Sidharth Chitnis, Swapnil Singh, Vikrant Yelligeti, Yogesh Takawale (India).

Total cost: $5,496,250

Odds: 6/1

---

Name: Rajasthan Royals

Owner: Emerging Media

Ground: Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur

Coach: Shane Warne

Captain: Shane Warne

Star player: Graeme Smith

Most expensive player: Mohammad Kaif, $675,000

Squad: Graeme Smith, Morne Morkel, (South Africa), Justin Langer, Shane Watson, Shane Warne (Australia), Younis Khan, Kamran Akmal, Sohail Tanvir (Pakistan), Dimitri Mascarenhas (England), Mohammad Kaif, Anoop Revandkar, Taruwar Kohli, Niraj Patel, Yusuf Pathan, Ravindra Jadeja, Siddharth Trivedi, Swapnil Asnodkar, Sumit Khatri, Munaf Patel, Pankaj Singh (India).

Total cost: $3,610,000

Odds: 12/1

Indian Premier League changes cricket

By Neil Heathcote India Business Report, Mumbai

Batting for bucks: cricket is increasingly about money

As the Bangalore Royal Challengers square off against the Kolkata Knight Riders in Bangalore this Friday night, there's a lot more than prestige at stake.

If it succeeds, the newly-formed Indian Premier League (IPL) will place cricket in India firmly at the centre of a multimillion dollar business.

India's economic boom has created a new middle class that wants to be entertained and has money to spend.

India's new corporate elite is keen to oblige.

Talent pays

Even before a single ball has been bowled, there are already some winners.

It's attracted interest from very many different parties Sundar Raman, IPL's chief operating officer How will the IPL change cricket?

Players have seen their pay soar, as rival teams outbid each other to win the best talent.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni, captain of India's one-day team, finds himself $1.5m (£750,000) richer thanks to the Chennai Super Kings.

Young up-and-coming players like Abhishek Nayar now see the IPL as a way to make their mark.

"It's almost like a shortcut to get into the Indian team," he says.

"If you do well, you obviously have the talent to go on and play for India."

Vast sums

The Board of Control for Cricket in India, which set up the IPL, has also scored some early hits.

Corporate sponsors are lining up to promote their brands to an audience of a billion consumers.

"It's attracted interest from very many different parties," says IPL's chief operating officer, Sundar Raman, pointing to how Kingfisher, Hero Honda and Pepsico have all come onboard.

"The ones who are key stakeholders in the business of cricket in India," he explains.

Television rights for the league have been sold for $1bn. The auction of the 8 rival teams raised a further $723m.

Scramble for the best

With that kind of money on the table, India has at a stroke transformed itself into the financial giant of global cricket.

This is not a business that's going to be made or unmade in one year R Balachandram, Mumbai Indians

But if the IPL has been tough in negotiating deals, it is the teams themselves that are now under most pressure to bring in the cash.

The new team owners are a curious mix of construction and media companies, power and entertainment firms.

They are Boom India's new elite - the people making enough profits in the new economy to take a sizeable bet on the future of cricket.

Bollywood stars Shahrukh Khan and Preity Zinta are up against drinks tycoon Vijay Mallya and industrial kingpin Mukesh Ambani.

The Deccan Chronicle newspaper is behind the Hyderabad team, while Delhi went to an airport developer and Chennai to India Cements.

They have already bid millions to sign up their players.

Long haul

So how are they planning to recoup their money?

They too are looking to sign up sponsors, strike franchising deals and maximise ticket sales.

But despite all the hoopla, success is far from guaranteed.

R Balachandram, who manages the costliest of the eight teams auctioned, the Mumbai Indians, insists that the whole project will be financially viable.

But it'll take time.

"This is not a business that's going to be made or unmade in one year," he says.

"We, as Reliance, are in it for the long haul. That's the most important thing."

New rivals

At the end of the day, the critical question is; how many people will actually watch?

It's almost like a shortcut to get into the Indian team Abhishek Nayar, professional cricket player

India may be a nation of cricket lovers, but it has no real tradition of city teams battling each other.

That local team spirit will have to be built from scratch over the weeks ahead.

The IPL itself is philosophical.

India is home to a billion people, it points out, and they are wealthier now than they have ever been.

"We believe that cricket will increase in value and the Indian premier league will accelerate that process," says Raman.

"Will we reach the heights of football? We'd certainly like to not only reach there, but probably better it."

India Business Report is broadcast repeatedly every Sunday on BBC World.

Counties in India's shadow - BBC

Counties in India's shadow

By Oliver Brett & Arlo White

A rainy start to the county season contrasts with excitement on offer in India

On Wednesday, the County Championship will splutter into existence for another year with a round of matches at familiar provincial outposts such as Chelmsford and Bristol.

Forty-eight hours later, the floodlights will be switched onto full beam at Bangalore's Chinnaswamy Stadium (capacity 55,000) as the Indian Premier League explodes into life.

It has never been that difficult to mock county cricket, with its sometimes comically awful weather and ever dwindling (and ever aging) supporters.

But this year, with the IPL set to showcase a blueprint for cricket's future, the English domestic game seems as out-of-date as black-and-white TV.

One problem is that instead of allowing Twenty20 to become the centrepiece of the domestic season, the ECB has retained the three other competitions - one a 40-over league which an internally-commissioned review group wanted scrapped.

I don't know much about it, but I've heard people talk about it... I'm not interested Ravi Bopara on the IPL

Even before the counties have embarked on their campaigns this season, the effects of the IPL are already noticeable.

Where are the big name players we have become accustomed to seeing, like Shane Warne, Muttiah Muralitharan and Andrew Symonds? Playing IPL of course.

Instead, counties have brought in a glut of unheralded foreign pros, many sidestepping qualification quotas because of loopholes in European Union law.

Come September, only one English player will be able to compare the IPL with the traditional county game.

Dimitri Mascarenhas, of Hampshire and the Rajasthan Royals, told BBC Sport: "The only big names who aren't playing [IPL] are the English big names - the Pietersens and Flintoffs.

"We have seen how much Twenty20 cricket has grown over the years.

"The players love it, the crowds love it and all the chairmen love it because it creates so much money for their club.

"We have to embrace it so why can't we bring as much of it as possible here into this country and generate as much money as possible here?"

Mascarenhas - the only Englishman to sample the IPL this season

Mascarenhas's Utopian view stands in extreme contrast to Ravi Bopara's feelings.

Both men are all-rounders on the fringes of the England set-up, but when asked what he felt about the IPL, Bopara was almost in denial.

He said: "I don't know much about it, seriously I haven't read about it but I've heard people talk about it, not at Essex just around... normal fans, mates and stuff.

"But I'm not interested. I'm more interested in what I am doing right now."

Bopara has already set aside a target of being his county's top run-scorer this season, and his mantra is that he will "keep pushing and keep pushing" to get back into the England squad.

For a 22-year-old with no dependents it's perhaps not entirely surprising.

But for a player towards the end of his career, with a mortgage and children, it might be a different story.

And it might lead to players retiring from the county game early - whether to accept the cash from the IPL, or its unofficial rival the Indian Cricket League.

Bopara's batting coach at Essex, Graham Gooch, is realistic about the money that top English players want to earn.

He feels there can be no guarantee the current format will remain, especially if the ECB develops a franchise-style league to mimic the IPL.

And he is worried that some of the smaller counties will just get trampled underfoot.

"It will affect everything if an enhanced Twenty20 competition comes to this country," said Gooch.

"That will bring with it, I would have thought, further players from outside this country but we must protect the integrity of bringing our players on, both in Test cricket and the one-day format.

"There are traditionally 18 counties. Some people will put forward a new approach in slimming down the number of teams.

"If that does happen in Twenty20 cricket in this country that will be a precursor to it happening in all cricket."

Sussex captain Chris Adams, whose team won the County Championship on the final day of the 2007 season, is also extremely conscious of the IPL's implications.

"The wind of change is not just upon us, it's blowing a gale at the moment," he said.

Adams believes both his county, and the ECB as a whole, have been "reactive rather than proactive" in responding to the growth of both the IPL and the ICL.

And he feels strongly that something must be done to ensure English cricket continues to have a strong global presence within the game, though he confesses he does not have "all the answers".

The future of world cricket is going to rely heavily on the IPL. It's to be embraced, not pushed away Sussex captain Chris Adams

"We have to make sure the administrators worldwide get it right. If you turn your back on [the IPL] and go into trench warfare you are going to lose out," said Adams.

"The bottom line is we have an obligation to provide England with the best talent possible to play Test cricket, first and foremost, and one-day internationals.

"We need a place for those cricketers to go and play their cricket and to develop as players.

"In the last five years we have had fantastic competitions in this country, with Warne, Muralitharan and Andrew Flintoff all playing against each other.

"On the back of that we've had reasonable success in the international arena.

"Twenty20 is growing bigger and stronger by the day, IPL is taking it even further and the future of world cricket is going to rely heavily on it.

"It's to be embraced and not pushed away."

How will the IPL change cricket?

By Simon Austin - BBC

Dhoni, Symonds and Kallis are three of the stars taking part

It has been described as the Indian revolution, the tournament that will change the face of cricket forever.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) introduced new levels of glitz, glamour and wealth to the game as soon as its first auction was held in February.

Since then it has overshadowed the start of the English county season and dominated the cricketing agenda.

BBC Sport talked to some of the main protagonists in the IPL to ask what effect they think it will have on world cricket.

PLAYER: SOURAV GANGULY

This is such a big tournament and players are giving such importance to it, that the ICC has to work out a time when all the players are available to take part.

I'm sure all the Test-playing nations can sit down and find a time for the IPL.

Why should the English players be deprived of the financial benefits of taking part?

I can certainly see England players like Kevin Pietersen taking part in the IPL next year.

The IPL will be a threat to county cricket, but I don't think Test cricket will lose its importance.

The players give importance to Test cricket. We know it is the real cricket and always will be.

IPL will be something new, a new format and a new type of team. When we started, Test and one-day cricket was always the priority, but people have realised it sometimes gets a bit long.

Twenty20 is basically a revenue earner. Now we will have to wait and see what the ability of players and the turnout for the matches is.

I'm sure it will kick off well and we'll have to see if the interest can be sustained.

Sourav Ganguly is captain of the Kolkata Knight Riders and has played in 106 Tests for India.

COACH: JOHN BUCHANAN

It's crucial that the administrators understand what they've got here.

Everybody has to allow a window for players to come into the IPL, earn their money, and then go back to their countries.

I foresee a situation where we have eight to 10 zones around the world and you have zonal play-offs in a three or four-week period.

Then you would have a world series, in a roofed stadium in say Dubai, Australia or America, which would be a carnival of cricket.

Administrators need to understand some of the potential dangers. Cricketers are professional people with a professional skill that doesn't last a lifetime.

Take the West Indies. They are almost bankrupt as a cricketing nation, yet you've got wonderful players over there.

What will they say if they get an offer from the IPL? Chris Gayle was signed by us for $800,000 but would struggle to probably earn a 20th of that back home.

England, India and Australia players are relatively well remunerated, but virtually every other country struggles.

Countries need to understand that their players will be subsidised by this short tournament and then go back and play in their country competitions.

But Test cricket will always have a following. Maybe not a following that comes through the turnstiles, but a latent following that listens to, reads about and understands the game.

John Buchanan is coach of the Kolkata Knight Riders and a former coach of Australia.

OWNER: MANOJ BADALE

Any tournament that aspires to have the best players in the world is going to be poorer for not having access to England, one of the major cricket-playing countries.

But it's a reality that the IPL was always going to clash with at least one domestic season, because the calendar is so packed.

And when you look at the players who are on show and bear in mind that each team can field only four foreign-based players, there's plenty of talent there.

I think it's critical for the IPL that all the franchises operate within the rules of the various cricket boards around the world.

We have the only English player currently in the IPL, Dimitri Mascarenhas.

His county, Hampshire, were incredibly supportive, pro-active and flexible and looked for a way to make it work for the player.

We conducted the conversation with the full knowledge and involvement of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and they saw it as very much a decision for Hampshire.

Manoj Badale is the chairman of Emerging Media, which owns the Rajasthan Royals.

AGENT: DAVID LIGERTWOOD

I would be very surprised if there isn't a big increase in the number of English players in the IPL next season.

It will be difficult to resist, because the players want to play and there will be pressure from the Indians.

If you get someone like Vijay Mallya (owner of the Bangalore Royal Challengers) wanting Pietersen to play for Bangalore, he could make that happen by offering a very lucrative package.

Pietersen would command a salary in the $1m plus bracket, there's no doubt about it.

I don't see any point in the ECB being dogmatic about it. In all new ventures, you need to be open minded.

If the scheduling can be worked so that England players can be made available, even for a few weeks, people need to have a positive approach to that.

I think it's purely a scheduling issue. I don't think anyone wants to see people playing in the IPL instead of for their countries.

The ECB will need to be more flexible, particularly when there aren't Test matches or international games on, for example at the start of the county season.

David Ligertwood is the main agent for the IPL. He has brokered 24 player deals for the competition.

ICC CHIEF: HAROON LORGAT

I think the IPL will be a real challenge.

Whenever there are large sums of money at stake, the possibility of conflict is a lot stronger and one would have to be very careful in managing it.

That's a genuine risk. But hopefully member countries will adhere to the principles they have agreed to.

As long as the BCCI maintains the right of the ICC to control the game internationally, I think it will work well.

I would love to see the Twenty/20 as an opportunity to grow the game around the world.

Haroon Lorgat was appointed chief executive of the ICC on 4 April and will formally take over from Malcolm Speed on 1 July.

IPL CO-FOUNDER: INDERJIT SINGH BINDRA

We want to function as part of the global cricketing family.

In the long run, we will do a lot of good to cricket and make it truly a global sport.

We would love to see English stars like Kevin Pietersen and Andrew Flintoff as part of the league - they are the only players missing for the time being.

We will be very happy to do anything to accommodate the requirements of the ECB and ensure that these players can participate, but not by disrupting the system.

We don't want to be a rebel league, we want to be part of the system, with the support of the ECB.

Unfortunately, the only season the IPL clashes with is the English one, so we have to find some way of accommodating their requirements as we go along.

The ICC have said they will try and find a permanent slot for the IPL, which will make it a lot easier for the players to know what the calendar is and what the options are.

IS Bindra is a co-founder of the IPL and sits on its governing committee. He is also a special adviser to the ICC and former head of the BCCI.

LEGEND: KAPIL DEV

If English players want to play in the IPL, I'd say please come and play and work out a better life for yourselves.

How can you stop anyone getting education and learning more in life? Do you say that unless someone gets educated in a certain school, they cannot be educated?

Let's not be hypocritical. Contracts should be very open. Whenever a player's country or county is playing, they should turn out for them, but when they are free, they should be allowed to do whatever they want to do.

People from all around the world are coming to play in England. Is that wrong? When we say we are coming to play in England, you people are happy.

Nobody stops us, no board comes forward and says 'no'. When cricket is being played in India, that's also good.

Kapil Dev was India's captain when they won the World Cup in 1983. He is now head of the Indian Cricket League, a rival to the IPL.

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Interviews by BBC Sport's Arlo White, Rahul Tandon and Simon Austin.