Australia players get IPL deadline extension

Five unnamed Australian cricketers did not meet the original Sunday deadline to register for the Indian Premier League (IPL) player auction, however they were given a one-day extension as they sought clarification on contract details. The Sydney Morning Herald reported the players were all likely to register after receiving approval from Cricket Australia.

Neil Maxwell, the agent who has been liaising between the IPL and Australia's players, said there was no reason to expect any surprise absences at Wednesday's bidding war. "There is always a chance [of a player not signing] but at this point we have alleviated any issues they have had," Maxwell told the paper.

The Australians only received a revised version of the IPL's long-form contract on Thursday, which Maxwell conceded gave them little time to digest the details. But apart from the five expected to register on Monday, the remaining players returned their signed contracts by the Sunday deadline.

The agreements came after Lalit Modi, the IPL chairman, said the issues regarding Cricket Australia's sponsorship concerns had been resolved. Cricket Australia had been intent on receiving global protection for its major supporters - it did not want to risk its players promoting rival companies - but Modi said the Australian board had acquiesced.

The rush of Australian signatures coincided with reports that another former Test player, Michael Kasprowicz, was poised to join the Indian Cricket League (ICL). The Courier-Mail said the newly-retired Kasprowicz, who played his last game for Queensland on Saturday, was ready to agree to a three-year ICL deal.