August 25, 2007	Saturday	Sha’aban 11, 1428

NEW DELHI, Aug 24: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is on the verge of forming a two-tier cricket league that will involve domestic leagues in four countries and an international league.

It’s believed to be along the lines of professional football, with clubs being able to hire players from wherever they like to play in a Twenty20 format.

Cricket Australia (CA) is believed to be involved in the process and the International Management Group (IMG), the event manager, is putting it all together.

The IMG is set to meet the officials of four cricket boards — India, Australia, South Africa and England — next week in Singapore, to finalise the details.

According to the deal, there will be domestic leagues in these countries, where the cricket economy can support such a structure. Players from other countries, including Pakistan and Sri Lanka, will be able to take part in any of these leagues.

Further, the top sides from each of the four leagues, likely to be called Professional Cricket Leagues, will then take part in a Champions Cricket League, similar to the Champions League in football.

Lalit Modi, from the BCCI, and James Sutherland, from CA, are believed to be spearheading this venture, and have been planning it for several months. Officials from the IMG recently met Sharad Pawar, the BCCI president, and made a presentation. But it was not put before the working committee of the board — which is the body that will make a final decision on the matter — to ensure it stayed under wraps till the deal was through.

A CA spokesperson, when contacted, did not deny the possibility of such a league but refused to confirm any developments.

“All I can tell you is that CA is not in a position to make a comment at this stage. We are regularly approached by all sorts of people who have exciting ideas. We’re always keen to look at these ideas and see what’s possible,” he said. “Until we have ink on a contract we don’t believe in making public statements.”—Agencies