September 06, 2008	Saturday	Ramazan 05, 1429

COLOMBO, Sept 5: Sri Lanka’s tour of England next year remains in doubt, with administrators yet to negotiate a deal with disgruntled Sri Lanka players for whom the tour will clash with the lucrative Indian Premier League competition.

“As of now the tour is on, but we are negotiating with the players and a final decision will be taken soon,” Sri Lanka Cricket chief executive officer Duleep Mendis said on Friday.

Sri Lanka agreed in July to play two tests and three one-day internationals in England next April and May, providing an opponent after England suspended cricket relations with Zimbabwe, which was initially slated to tour. However the players complain the timing of the tour would force them to miss most of the Twenty20 IPL competition, with many of them having already signed rich three-year contracts.—AP