September 25, 2008	Thursday	Ramazan 24, 1429

COLOMBO, Sept 24: Taking cognizance of Indian cricket board’s objection on its policy on Indian Cricket League players, the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has clarified that its cricketers associated with the rebel league could participate in domestic cricket for this year only.

“Sri Lanka Cricket wishes to emphasize that the interim committee approval was granted for ICL contracted Sri Lankan players was for the upcoming Premier League tournament 2008 only,” a SLC statement said.

“All ICL contracted cricketers will not be permitted to represent teams at district, provincial and international level,” it added.

The SLC interim committee last week lifted the ban on its ICL players and to allow them to take part in domestic cricket.

However, the decision wasn’t well digested by the BCCI who threatened to take up the issue in the ICC meeting.

The development also irked the Sri Lanka sports minister Gamini Lokuge, who met SLC officials here on Wednesday to discuss the matter.

While upholding the SLC’s decision to allow the ICL-contracted Lankan cricketers to play club cricket, he said the chances of donning the national colours was out of question.

Lokuge, who met SLC officials at the office agreed to lift the ban that had been imposed by the previous cricket administration on five players and an umpire associated with the rebel league for the 2008 domestic cricket season.

“They requested us and the eight member Interim committee agreed,” a SLC official said.

Meanwhile, sports minister Lokuge told the Island Newspaper that rebel players can never play for the country. “It’s very clear. These players had asked to play domestic cricket and the Board has allowed them. The request is only for club cricket and that’s fine. But they can’t represent the country at any stage,” Lokuge told the newspaper.—Agencies