With BCCI’s celebrated apathy toward its twenty-20 rival, ICL, it is quite amazing to find an ICL connection to the ongoing Indian Premier League tournament in South Africa. Well, despite the sheer strangeness of connection between two bitter rivals, it is true; the much respected curator Phil Russell currently holds the position of an advisor on the ground preparations at Kingsmead for the IPL tournament. Probably the IPL officials skipped over the fact that the same man was the ICL's curator last season.

With well known high handedness of BCCI in dealing with ICL and everything associated with ICL - starting from the players and administrators to the groundsmen and scorers and even the commentators - it is quite surprising how this silly mistake could got past the radar of IPL’s all powerful supremo Lalit Modi? Here is how this impossible was made possible.

When the ground’s assistant curator was sent to Newlands on the assignment of preparing the ground in time for the upcoming cricket tournament, the gap was to be filled up by an equally competent professional. And so well known personality in cricket circle Phil Russell was summoned to put in his experiences to make the Kingsmead match-ready in a short time.

Now Kingsmead stadium is what is very close to the heart of this coach well known in the international cricket circle. It is his association with the stadium over two decades that make him the most appropriate person to take the charge thereof. Before Russell got associated with ICL, he coached the Natal team, including Kevin Pietersen, for two years. Kiran More, a member of the ICL's executive board confirmed that Russell has been on their payroll for last two years. He has got the invitation from ICL for this year too. “This year, too, we have asked him to come during July-August to take a look at the grounds and get them in shape for the November season”, said More.

However, as it has been learnt, Russell isn’t the sole entity to have his connection with both IPL and ICL. Reportedly the IPL has employed the same overhead sky cameras that have been used by ICL during its last season. These are the special cameras with the ability of sliding on a cable approximately 40 feet above the centre pitch. The company that owns the camera has lent it to the ICL last year and now IPL has taken it on rent for their ongoing season.

The way BCCI goes on banning spree as it comes to ICL and every single thing associated with ZEE owned cricket venture that actually pioneered the concept of a domestic Twenty-20 league in India, the prospect of both Russell and the camera company in IPL seems to be pathetic. It is not known how the IPL boss would chose to strike back when he finds out the connection. We only hope, this article escapes the prying eyes of BCCI officials. But if they somehow manage to find it, we offer our apology to both of them in advance.

It is quite sickening to watch IPL’s audacity of attempting to monopolize everything that is cricket in the country. Isn’t it time that BCCI accept the fact that ICL and IPL shares an inevitable commonality - that is cricket?

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3.25 Copyright (C) 2007 Alain Georgette / Copyright (C) 2006 Frantisek Hliva. All rights reserved."

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