Australia need IPL damage control
Anger is starting to spill over between Cricket Australia, its players, and the Indian Premier League, according to Jon Pierik in the Herald Sun
Brydon Coverdale
25-Feb-2013
Anger is starting to spill over between Cricket Australia, its players, and the Indian Premier League, according to Jon Pierik in the Herald Sun. He says the parties need to resolve matters quickly, for the good of the game.
It should be remembered these players have all pledged their loyalty to CA - a body which has helped to turn them into the household names they are today. Officials are keen to point out that these same Australian sponsors - the likes of Travelex, Foster's Group and Commonwealth Bank - help to pour $1 million simply in base contracts and match payments annually into the pockets of most of the top players.
These same officials also note players will soon push for a greater cut of the CA pie when talks on a new memorandum of understanding begin. Clearly, these sponsors are the lifeblood of the game here and without them cricket, under siege from a growing number of summer sports and entertainment, could quickly lose its hold. No wonder CA is digging its heels in and ensuring everything is done to protect these interests.
Malcolm Conn writes in the Australian that Channel Ten’s decision to show all Indian Premier League games live in Australia is another sign that Twenty20 is starting to overwhelm Test and ODI cricket.
Brydon Coverdale is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo. He tweets here