‘Aussies regret missing IPL 2’

Sai Mohan

Mumbai: Cricket Australia (CA) General Manager of Public Affairs Peter Young on Wednesday said that a quite a few Australian cricketers regret skipping the second edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), as their team failed to make it to the Super Eight Stages of the recently-concluded ICC World Twenty20 in England.

This development comes at a time when detractors in India are faulting the IPL to be the root cause for the defending champions’ early ouster from the WT20. “I know a couple of players who feel IPL could have given them the adequate T20 experience ahead of such a big event. Having said that you can’t change anything now – the Australian team is gearing up for the all-important Ashes,” Young told Cricketnirvana from Australia.

In 2008, the sudden retirement of Aussie stalwart Matthew Hayden caused for the Australian media to blame the IPL. However, Young ruled out the widely reported ‘conspiracy by Cricket Australia’ to keep Australian cricketers out of IPL. “That is untrue. We have always supported IPL and are embracing Twenty20 as a format. In fact we have done everything possible to allow young players to participate in the IPL. It was solely the players’ decision to skip the IPL, as they prioritised Ashes over T20.”

Young disclosed that details of the proposed Southern Premier League (SPL) would be revealed shortly as Cricket Australia (CA) were in discussion with Cricket South Africa (CSA) and New Zealand Cricket (NZC) to organise a substantial Twenty20 league in October 2011. “We are continuing the discussions. The work is in progress. The agenda is for the best players from the three countries to come together for an extravagant Twenty20 league. As it stands right now, the league will feature four teams from South Africa, four from Australia and two from New Zealand but will also invite players from other countries to play. There is also a plan of rotating the series between the three participating countries,” Young said.

With P20 also to hit the ‘market’ next summer there is a growing concern of top players boycotting international and domestic cricket for lucrative Twenty20 leagues. “I don’t know about other countries but youngsters in Australia still have a burning desire to wear the Baggy Green.” But Young does not rule out its possibility.

“It is difficult to predict what the future holds but country cricket will never die. Many of Australia’s top players have skipped participating in the KFC Big Bash, which is a big hit here in Australia. It has still managed to attract fabulous crowds even with the domestic players,” he said.

Shahid Afridi is all set to join the New South Wales side for the 2009 KFC Big Bash. “We have provided a financial gain to Australian states to sign up international players and you will see many more in the 2009-2010 season,” he said. West Indian all-rounder Dwayne Bravo will also play in this season's KFC Twenty20 Big Bash for Victoria after agreeing to a contract with the Bushrangers.

Young said the board will not restrict players from making their choices. “We have no concerns since the players who value the Baggy Green will always stay put. But we will not hold anything against the others as we have already given the privilege to most players, both international and state, to participate in IPL and other leagues.”

Young reckons the Champions League would emerge as the biggest Twenty20 tournament ever, even bigger than the IPL. “The fact that it brings together 12 top cricket clubs in the world makes it very special. I think it will be even bigger and better than the IPL; difficult to imagine considering IPL’s enormous success.”

While 10 out of the 12 teams have been finalised, the two teams from England scheduled to take part in the tournament will be known only after England Cricket Board's (ECB) domestic Twenty20 Cup finalists are confirmed.

As we continue our series of the Extraordinary League of Twenty20, stay tuned for EXCLUSIVE details of P20 in England. Keep watching this space to know more