Kapil Dev urges ECB to defend ICL stars

June 29, 2008

LEGENDARY all-rounder Kapil Dev has urged the England and Wales Cricket Board to take a stand and defend players that featured in the Indian Cricket League.

The former Indian captain, returned to the Nevill Ground in Tunbridge Wells this week, 25 years on from his then world record score of 175 not out against Zimbabwe at the same ground.

Kapil, who was arguably one of the best all-rounders to have ever played the game, led his side to World Cup glory that year but he will also be remembered for that knock in 1983 which earned him the record after reaching a century from 72 balls.

The 49-year-old is now chairman of the executive board of the Indian Cricket League (ICL) – a Twenty20 competition which hit the headlines because it offers cricketers a chance to earn money similar to footballers.

However, the competition has faced problems from the start because it was set up against the wishes of the country’s own cricket board and has since been labelled an ‘unauthorised’ and ‘rebel’ event by the International Cricket Council.

In an exclusive interview with Kent on Sunday, Kapil defended his decision to back the ICL and believes more county cricketers will join the league – an opinion confirmed this week after 45 per cent of 334 English players surveyed said they would consider signing knowing they would face a potential ban.

Kapil said: “When we look back we like to look at our cricketers also and I think the ICL has provided something where they can earn good wages – and that is for the common cricketer – not the elite players. What they earn in a county year they were getting in just a few weeks.

“You have to be happy about this type of revolution and you have to be careful about using this word because as long as it doesn’t harm anyone or the game, what is the problem? If you look at football and the amounts of money earned in that sport, why shouldn’t cricket be the same?

“I think anyway that you can revolutionise a sport should be seen as a good thing.”

Kapil is clearly a supporter of Twenty20 and believes it has breathed life back into the game. With billions of pounds being pumped into the sport in India and stadiums packed with supporters wanting to watch a three hour, 20 over game, he feels there is enough room for both the ICL and its competitor – the Indian Premier League.

“It gives cricketers a different platform and although ICL got a bit of criticism at the start, eventually you will look back and say that it gave something to the cricketer,” he said. “When you look back 10 years or 20 years the International Cricket Council didn’t have even £100,000.

“Today we are talking about billions of dollars and television rights and it has really hit off and that is good.

“I have absolutely no doubt that ICL is here to stay. In every sense you are given more cricket to the people and giving opportunities to young players to play with the best of the best.

“ICL should remain and should be ICC controlled. There is a monopoly and for some it’s a business but for me it is promoting my sport across the world.”

Kent players Azhar Mahmood and Justin Kemp both played in the ICL at the beginning of the year, but their involvement could cost the club a chance of competing in the lucrative Champions League, if they were to make finals day in the Twenty20 Cup.

Kapil has quite strong views on the matter: “I think that is where the ECB should be strong enough and stand up to the ICC. They call our league ‘rebel’ but who is the rebel?

“The Indian Cricket League pays players that have stopped playing international cricket or the sport altogether. If you tell somebody they can’t play here of there then that is wrong.

“The problems can only be sorted out when the people forget their egos and try not to control everything. There is enough for everybody.”

Although traditionalists argue Twenty20 could potentially harm Test cricket – a concern enhanced by a survey in which half the England team said they would consider retiring from international cricket to play in an Indian league – Kapil is confident Test cricket will remain the pinnacle.

News Source : http://www.kentnews.co.uk