Indian central-contract system finalised

The Board of Control for Cricket in India has approved the restructured graded-payment system for the international cricketers. Jagmohan Dalmiya, the president of the board, confirmed this after the working-committee meeting in Kolkata. However, the board rejected a request to increase the non-playing members' match fee by 20%.

The players will be divided into three grades, receiving Rs5million (US$108,000 approx), Rs3.5million (US$75,000 approx) and Rs2million (US$44,000 approx) respectively on an annual basis. Apart from this the players will continue to receive their match fees.

Dalmiya said the players could have signed the documents before their departure for Holland, but it could not be done since John Wright was unavailable. The Indian Express quoted Dalmiya as saying, "Had this confirmation come two days earlier, the contracts could have been signed by now. Now let us see if it could be done tomorrow. Otherwise it would be done after the team returns from England."

Wright, Sourav Ganguly, Syed Kirmani (the chairman of selectors), and SK Nair, the secretary of the BCCI, will decide the slotting of the players into the various grades.