Sport - Cricket

Domestic scene in danger: Lehmann

Melbourne: Former Australia batsman Darren Lehmann on Saturday warned Cricket Australia that it might lose more first class players if it persisted with its policy of banning players joining the ICL.

Jason Gillespie and Jimmy Maher added to the list of Australian first class cricketers, who have preferred to play in the cash-rich Indian Cricket League than in the domestic competition.

They follow compatriots Michael Kasprowicz and Matthew Elliott, who retired to play in the Essel Group-backed venture.

Cricket Australia, like other national boards, has taken a strong stance against the rebel ICL and threatened its contracted cricketers with bans if they chose to get involved with the unofficial league.

“It (the lure of the ICL) is certainly going to impact on experience levels. I think that trend will continue among experienced State players who probably are not going to play for Australia again,” Lehmann was quoted as saying in The Age.

“They can go to the ICL and make a really good pay-day. Some of them would want to keep playing (for their States) but they can’t. I understand the rules, but it would be nice to get some discussion happening around the issue,” Lehmann, who is president of the Australian Cricketers Association, added. — PTI

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