Posts Tagged ‘ecb’
The roadblock to the participation of Kevin Pietersen, Andrew Flintoff and team-mates in second edition of Indian Premier League seems to have been removed after England and Wales Cricket Board and Professional Cricketers’ Association agreed on a 15-day window for the players.
The duration agreed by the ECB and the PCA means players will be able to play in first few rounds of the IPL, starting in April, before returning for the first Test against the West Indies starting at Lord’s on May 6.
“We think this is realistic and sensible,” PCA chief executive Sean Morris was quoted as saying’. “There was some pressure to get back for a four-day game before the Test. The guys understand that and I think they are happy. I would say we are now 99 per cent there,” Morris added.
The final details involving compensation package remain to be sorted out as counties demand reimbursement for losing their players’ service during the 15-day window. However, there was optimism that the deal could be worked out before England leave for the West Indies on January 21.
If it does go through then Pietersen and Flintoff could earn up to 300,000 pounds for little more than a fortnight’s work when the IPL auction is held on February 6.
England cricket coach Peter Moores has said that there is a possibility of all-rounder Andrew Flintoff skipping the tour to India, which was recently ravaged by a terrorist strike.
“I’m fairly confident everybody will go (to India) if the security report is okay. But it is a difficult situation and everybody sees things differently. The worry is that if somebody makes their choice, they get marginalized,quoted Moores, as saying.
“Fred (Flintoff) has had issues and it’s fair to say Steve Harmison has as well.
“Freddie has been round the block and knows what he wants. In this instance, he quite rightly wants to take all the information and make his call. If he thinks he can’t (go) that will be a tough decision for him and it will be his decision,” Moores added.
Whether England win or lose the Test matches in India no longer matters. Whatever the outcome, they have, by stating that they intend to return there – today’s final security reports permitting – secured a far bigger victory than any match can deliver.
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