Ponting fears for Twenty20 player grab

Ricky Ponting is worried by the "danger" of private Twenty20 tournaments taking away players from international cricket. The Indian Cricket League's (ICL) deals with four Pakistanis changed Ponting's attitude towards the lucrative series and he has called for cricket boards to develop official competitions.

"I am a bit more concerned this week with the new signings," he said in the Australian. "It looks as though the Pakistanis and a few of the New Zealanders have signed as well. The danger is that it attracts the guys who are playing international cricket at the moment. If it is only attracting guys who are retired then it won't affect us whatsoever."

The ICL is due to start next month and Ponting fears events in the future could run in competition to the World Cup. "We have seen that there is more money in these Twenty20 comps than there is in the whole World Cup," Ponting said. "What will the players do: play in the World Cup or in the Twenty20 tournaments? They are going to have to make a decision and pretty quickly." However, Adam Gilchrist believes the competition is healthy.

There are rumours a group of New Zealanders may sign up to the ICL with permission from New Zealand Cricket, which is due to make a decision next week. Reports suggest the players' earnings could be double what they are paid on their national contracts.

"The concern I have is how lenient the boards are with the players," Ponting said. "I heard a whisper the other day that the New Zealanders might be going with the board's blessing because they have no cricket at that time of the year."

Ponting said the boards needed to be proactive and look at an official Twenty20 competition. "If they don't they run the risk of not having any players," Ponting said. "The amount of money I heard being thrown around for the ICL is big money for a month's cricket.

"The boards have to get very proactive and make sure they are getting something in place, otherwise they will run the risk of losing a lot of international players, particularly those who are coming towards the end of their careers and maybe some of the ones on the fringe."