February 16, 2008	Saturday	Safar 08, 1429

MUMBAI, Feb 15: The sponsorship row between Cricket Australia (CA) and the lucrative Indian Premier League (IPL) has been resolved and the likes of Ricky Ponting and Brett Lee will be available at Wednesday’s auction.

“The (Australian) players have already started to sign the agreement,” IPL chairman Lalit Modi said on Friday.

While contracted players sign a binding memorandum of understanding at the start, organisers had set Sunday as the deadline for signing long-form agreements.

The row had led to doubts over the availability of the 16 contracted Australian players, who also include Adam Gilchrist, Matthew Hayden, Mike Hussey, Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath and Justin Langer, for the Mumbai auction.

CA wanted the interests of its sponsors to be protected during the IPL, a request the organisers had rejected.More than 80 international players will feature in the auction with each of the eight franchises having a cap of $5 million to buy foreign players. The inaugural 44-day IPL starts on April 18.

The IPL has been officially endorsed by cricket’s governing body but players cannot compete if it clashes with international duties.

Australia’s trip to Pakistan in March and April clashes but the organisers expect those not touring to take part in the inaugural event. The players have agreed three-year contracts so even if they do not play now, they will be available at a later stage.

Set up to counter the ICL, an unofficial Indian Twenty20 league, that began late last year, the inaugural event will be played in eight cities and feature 59 matches.—Reuters