The foreign as well as Indian cricket players who aligned themselves with the ICL, had suddenly found themselves in the cricket wilderness after they were banned by the ICC (read BCCI) from participating in any official domestic or international cricket tournaments. It was bewildering for so many talented young cricket players to suddenly find themselves being treated by pariahs; being shunned and excluded for any cricket being played, and found to their consternation that their respective careers were going nowhere.

Now a lifeline has been thrown their way by the BCCI who has unbent just enough to let the players sever all ties with the ICL whereupon they will be permitted to play domestic cricket (a ‘cooling off’ or ‘punishment’ period of one year is in place before the players can dream of playing international cricket).  Speculation is therefore rife that players will grab this opportunity to leave the ICL which, it has been reported has not paid players some of their dues and does not have the financial stability to hold tournaments as and when they said they would (March 2009 was the scheduled dated for the ICL tournament which did not materialize). The players will also be able to erase the tag of ‘rebel player’ and will be able to participate in main stream cricket once again.

The ICL however claims not to be worried because of the legally binding contracts that are in place. “We are positive about going forward;" a senior ICL official was reported as having said in the cricket news. "Some of our players may be tempted by the BCCI's offer, but we are confident of retaining the players we want. We have legally binding contracts with the players and we expect them to honour those. Breaking contracts and walking away is not as simple as it sounds; there is a notice period, and no-objection clauses involved."

Reportedly the ICL will not be renewing contracts of some players and support staff whose contracts have expired; however it was made clear that ICL was viable still and not about to shut shop anytime soon.  

According to the ICL officials this is yet another ploy on part of the BCCI to knobble the ICL and that the ICL has a strong legal case because of the ICC’s new guidelines that will come into effect only in 1 June, which cannot be applied in a retrospective manner. The ICL has threatened legal action before now, when their application for recognition was met with no success.

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

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