August 10, 2008	Sunday	Sha’aban 7, 1429

LONDON, Aug 9: Cricket chiefs in India remain positive Middlesex will compete in the inaugural Twenty20 Champions League, despite the English county having yet to accept an invitation to feature in the tournament.

Middlesex earned the right to participate in the multi-million dollar event after they were crowned Twenty20 Cup champions with a last-ball victory over Kent at Rose Bowl last month.

That victory prompted organisers of the Champions League — Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Cricket Australia (CA) and Cricket South Africa (CSA) — to send an invitation to the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) for Middlesex to take part.

However, Middlesex’s lack of correspondence left the organisers unsure of the final participants in a hastily-arranged eight-team tournament, which it was agreed on Thursday, will be delayed from its scheduled Sept 29 start date to avoid a row with the International Cricket Council (ICC).

Chief Executive of the Indian Premier League (IPL) Sundar Raman, who has also been drafted in by the BCCI to run the Champions League, said while he expected Middlesex to accept the offer, their delay was due to the ongoing talks between the ECB and three member boards.

Raman added that those talks centred on “team participation and operational rules amongst other (issues)”, and followed the ECB announcement they planned to organise their own Champions League-style event.

The BCCI then declined an invitation from the ECB to enter the IPL teams in that competition. With regards to Middlesex’s participation, Raman added: “Things look positive. The last place in the eight-team Champions League could well be filled up by Middlesex, to whom an invitation has also been extended.”—Agencies