Repercussions of the IPL In England

[Woodster]

Following the conclusion of the Indian Premier League auction last weekend, what impact, in terms of disruption to the counties, will it have on the start of the domestic campaign in England ?

Cricket Web - Features: Repercussions of the IPL in England

 

[fredfertang]

It's good to read something about the IPL that sidesteps all the hype but at the same time doesn't dismiss it out of hand - most enjoyable

 

[Howe_zat]

Excellent read Woods, very well said.

Morgan is an interesting case when you say he ought to be claiming the available Test spot. I think the spot is already his - Colly explicitly named him, he was next man in against Pakstan and on tour - so he's not really got anything to lose.

It may be one reason why Morgs is keen to not play any early season county cricket. He plays in the second division, so if he doesn't do well he could get shown up and lose his place to Hildreth/Taylor (depending on who's scoring the runs). If he does really well, he'd only earn a spot that was his anyway.

Of course, the fact that the England selectors will almost certainly pick someone who has hardly played any FC cricket for two years and had a mediocre record in it anyway is a debate unto itself.

 

[Woodster]

It's good to read something about the IPL that sidesteps all the hype but at the same time doesn't dismiss it out of hand - most enjoyable

Excellent read Woods, very well said.

Morgan is an interesting case when you say he ought to be claiming the available Test spot. I think the spot is already his - Colly explicitly named him, he was next man in against Pakstan and on tour - so he's not really got anything to lose.

It may be one reason why Morgs is keen to not play any early season county cricket. He plays in the second division, so if he doesn't do well he could get shown up and lose his place to Hildreth/Taylor (depending on who's scoring the runs). If he does really well, he'd only earn a spot that was his anyway.

Of course, the fact that the England selectors will almost certainly pick someone who has hardly played any FC cricket for two years and had a mediocre record in it anyway is a debate unto itself.

Cheers guys, appreciate that.

Yes you're probably right with Morgan, maybe the management have communicated with him and told him he's going to be next in line. Just think he could do more to secure the place by preparing in the County Championship, and to ensure he has some first-class cricket under his belt to give him some confidence in the longer form. If he gets a chance against Sri Lanka, he'll be sorry if he's mentally still in T20 mode.

I don't have massive issues that England are picking someone without a great first-class record, in Andy Flower I do trust that he can spot a player with the right attributes to be a success at the top level, despite a first-class record not endorsing his potential significantly. They're not all going to settle into Test cricket seamlessly, but his and the selectors judgement have been pretty good recently. Not playing much first-class cricket is of more concern to me though.

 

[Furball]

I'd still prefer the next in line to be playing FC cricket prior to the Sri Lanka series. Morgan doesn't necessarily have to gun it to retain his spot, but I'd far rather he was preparing for the Test series by playing FC cricket than T20. If Taylor, Hildreth, Bopara, or indeed anyone else who the selectors might have an eye on for the vacant batting spot come out and start the domestic season on fire, then sticking with Morgan becomes very hard to justify.

 

[Woodster]

I'd still prefer the next in line to be playing FC cricket prior to the Sri Lanka series. Morgan doesn't necessarily have to gun it to retain his spot, but I'd far rather he was preparing for the Test series by playing FC cricket than T20. If Taylor, Hildreth, Bopara, or indeed anyone else who the selectors might have an eye on for the vacant batting spot come out and start the domestic season on fire, then sticking with Morgan becomes very hard to justify.

I agree mate, I think they have to be have played some first-class cricket in the lead up to a Test series, and would be surprised, with the meticulous nature of Andy Flower, if Morgan is allowed to go from the IPL straight into Test cricket.

For Morgan playing in the CC would be about getting mentally in tune with the longer game, and refining his ability to bat long periods of time, enhance his skills of concentration, things the IPL would not offer at all. It's not necessarily about staking a 1,000 runs by the end of May, if they have decided he's the man and providing he avoids a complete horror run, then it would simply be about him preparing himself as well as he possibly can in four-day cricket.

 

[Arjun]

Would all of these issues be avoided if IPL franchises signed on England's T20 regulars, like Simon Cook and Graham Napier? Neither are in contention for Test spots, and they're good at T20, possibly better than in FC cricket, so England would lose little and IPL teams would gain a lot, wouldn't they?

 

[brockley]

I think its funny really aussie and england players play in ipl,but the bcci won't let players play in england,australia,new zealand or s africa.
This is a real shame.

 

[Jarquis]

Napier would've been a really good buy for a side IMO. Not sure what his base price was but I can't imagine it was too high.

 

[Howe_zat]

The IPL clearly buys based on star power as well as likely success. Good as he is, the franchise aren't going to sell that many t-shirts with Napier on them.

Of course this doesn't explain every pick.

 

[slugger]

I think its funny really aussie and england players play in ipl,but the bcci won't let players play in england,australia,new zealand or s africa.
This is a real shame.

thats what NZ rugby does. You cant be an All Black if you play over seas.

 

[Furball]

I think its funny really aussie and england players play in ipl,but the bcci won't let players play in england,australia,new zealand or s africa.
This is a real shame.

So the BCCI is supposed to release its star players from its Test and ODI squads to go and play Big Bash?

 

[brockley]

If they are available that is.
Last year when india had no games during the winter it barred its players,plus fringe players from playing.
If bar internationals the players are free,if the players want to play they should be allowed.

 

[Arjun]

I think its funny really aussie and england players play in ipl,but the bcci won't let players play in england,australia,new zealand or s africa.
This is a real shame.

Gets my goat all the time. They have a warped ideal that domestic cricket has a higher priority over overseas assignments, even at the cost of a player's growth.

India's T20 reserves would have been so much better if they had been allowed to play in other countries.

 

[Arjun]

Napier would've been a really good buy for a side IMO. Not sure what his base price was but I can't imagine it was too high.

The IPL clearly buys based on star power as well as likely success. Good as he is, the franchise aren't going to sell that many t-shirts with Napier on them.

Of course this doesn't explain every pick.

Had some teams smartly planned out their finances for these English domestic players, they would easily secure some more (and better) Indian players in their teams. Delhi, for instance, would be in a position to sell Gambhir tees, which would be possible by buying these domestic T20 players. Likewise, Punjab and Hyderabad would get at least two top-flight Indians with smart purchases like these.

 

[pup11]

IPL and other T20 competitions are great sources of income for a player, this is something every cricket board needs to respect and understand.
Its all good saying that test cricket is the ultimate and test cricketers are the most elite breed, but it all doesn't add up when a glorified slogger for 8 weeks work makes 10 times more than what a good test cricketer makes working his backside off throughout the year.
So cricket boards either need to make sure they makeup for the financial losses a player is likely to have by not playing in these T20 events, if they can't do that then they shouldn't stop the player from going ahead and playing in these competitions.

 

[Furball]

IPL and other T20 competitions are great sources of income for a player, this is something every cricket board needs to respect and understand.
Its all good saying that test cricket is the ultimate and test cricketers are the most elite breed, but it all doesn't add up when a glorified slogger for 8 weeks work makes 10 times more than what a good test cricketer makes working his backside off throughout the year.
So cricket boards either need to make sure they makeup for the financial losses a player is likely to have by not playing in these T20 events, if they can't do that then they shouldn't stop the player from going ahead and playing in these competitions.

Most of the top earners in the IPL tend to be good Test players.

 

[Woodster]

IPL and other T20 competitions are great sources of income for a player, this is something every cricket board needs to respect and understand.
Its all good saying that test cricket is the ultimate and test cricketers are the most elite breed, but it all doesn't add up when a glorified slogger for 8 weeks work makes 10 times more than what a good test cricketer makes working his backside off throughout the year.
So cricket boards either need to make sure they makeup for the financial losses a player is likely to have by not playing in these T20 events, if they can't do that then they shouldn't stop the player from going ahead and playing in these competitions.

It's crazy that there is such a difference in money, but that's where we find ourselves at the moment. There has to be some understanding towards the players who have the opportunity to set themselves and their families up very nicely by playing eight weeks of 20-over cricket. However, I also believe there are times when a player needs to look at the bigger picture to secure themselves a healthier future, both financially and also career-wise. They shouldn't need to be told what they should be doing, they should be able to assess the situation and choose the right path for their cricketing development.

It's a situation the ICC needs to constantly assess, because to potentially lose some very good Test players to what amounts to freelance T20 players is certainly not good for the game. So the money has to be brought in line and much closer to parity. There has to be an answer out there.

 

[pup11]

It's crazy that there is such a difference in money, but that's where we find ourselves at the moment. There has to be some understanding towards the players who have the opportunity to set themselves and their families up very nicely by playing eight weeks of 20-over cricket. However, I also believe there are times when a player needs to look at the bigger picture to secure themselves a healthier future, both financially and also career-wise. They shouldn't need to be told what they should be doing, they should be able to assess the situation and choose the right path for their cricketing development.

It's a situation the ICC needs to constantly assess, because to potentially lose some very good Test players to what amounts to freelance T20 players is certainly not good for the game. So the money has to be brought in line and much closer to parity. There has to be an answer out there.

ICC is a toothless body and there is nothing it can do to prevent situations like the one you mentioned, what they can do atleast is cough up some extra money (as they have plenty of that) every year and give it to the boards of all test cricket nations so that these boards can pay their elite contracted players sums that can match their IPL paycheck.
No doubt, playing cricket for your country is a proud feeling but cricket is also a source of making a living for these players and also not to forget that the career span of an athlete is pretty short, therefore obviously with the way things are somewhere down the line a player is left with no option but to make a choice between his international career or his IPL career.
The bigger threat though is that a whole generation of young talented cricketers could aspire to become just good T20 cricketers, so its upto all these cricket boards to make sure that they make test cricket commercially viable enough for youngsters to take it up as a career option.