July 31, 2008	Thursday	Rajab 27, 1429

MELBOURNE, July 30: Australia cricket officials met with their India counterparts on Wednesday as they attempt to resolve which international Twenty20 competition its state teams will compete in.

The Victoria and Western Australia teams have qualified to compete in an international competition between the world’s leading provincial teams, and there is doubt over where that competition will be and many of the terms of participation.

India says it will host a competition between the top teams of India, Australia, South Africa, England and Pakistan. It was initially scheduled to be held from late September to early October but had reportedly been delayed by disputes over player eligibility and financial terms.India has refused to host any team which contains players involved in the Indian Cricket League – a rival Twenty20 tournament that runs in competition against the officially sanctioned Indian Premier League.

Kent, one of the two sides set to represent England, has two ICL-aligned players in their squad: Pakistan’s Azhar Mahmood and Justin Kemp of South Africa.

The England and Wales Cricket Board had decided to host its own international tournament in the United Arab Emirates.

Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland and lawyer Dean Kino met Lalit Modi, the IPL supremo, in Mumbai on Wednesday to discuss India’s plans.

“We are keen to see the best versus the best in a tournament and we are keen to see the best outcome for revenue into state cricket,” Cricket Australia spokesman Peter Young said.

“But there is so much uncertainty at this point, we are yet to reach the stage where the situation is as clear as mud.”—AP