SYDNEY, Sept 1: Former Australian middle-order batsman Damien Martyn has become the first Australian to sign up with the rebel Indian Cricket League (ICL).

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, an official announcement on Martyn’s new venture is expected to come on Sunday.

Sources close to the ICL confirmed that Martyn had signed up for a month-long Twenty20 tournament, proposed for India in October. It is believed he will earn about 305,000 dollars if he commits to the tournament for the next three years.

Martyn had originally rejected advances from ICL when it was nothing but a concept being mooted by disgruntled Indian media giant Zee TV, which recently missed out on India’s billion-dollar television rights.

The 35-year-old shocked the cricket world by retiring abruptly after the second Test against England late last year, walking away from the game completely and becoming a cricketing recluse.—Agencies