Lancashire director Andy Hayhurst has praised the Indian Premier League on the eve of its launch this Friday and has suggested the ECB launch a similar format.
The Indian Premier Leagues 20:Twenty format and signing of cricket stars from around the game has captured the imagination of the cricketing world.
Players have been offered big salaries to compete in the 8 team league which will see each team play each other home and away. This format has been likened to the Uefa Champions league in football.
‘The Indian Premier League brings more profile to the game of cricket and also the financial aspects and supporter interest are much increased’ Said Hayhurst.
This was reflected in the television rights being distributed for a combined total of around $1 billion to be broadcast in every continent.
The launching of a format in England would certainly serve to subdue some of the negatives the Indian premier league has brought up in the domestic game and Hayhurst argued the case. ‘It would of course, be feasible, for the ECB to set up a similar tournament here as all foreign players are basically out of season and would be available. That would allow our better county players to earn there money here and not be tempted to go to India’
There have been concerns raised in England that the league would have a negative affect on county cricket. However Hayhurst feels there are measures that the ECB could take to prevent it doing so. ‘If the ECB keep to the rules and ensure that their England contracted players remain with England then it should be fine. If County players wish to play in India for 6 weeks of their season then it is up to the Counties to decide individually’
Other concerns have been raised over the values and traditions of cricket could be usurped by the money being poured into the game. However Hayhurst, while understanding the sentiment, felt that the IPL should serve to enhance cricket.
The players themselves will be very interested in the developments financially that the Indian Premier League players. Other sports have traditionally paid out more to its stars than cricket, but the IPL may change this. England cricketer Matthew Hoggard said in his column in The Times ‘We're talking six week's work for roughly a year's salary. As they say in the States, you do the math."
The question of whether the England players want to go to play in the IPL is obvious. Even captain Micheal Vaughan agrees. Hayhurst feels that the financial benefits are too high for the players to miss out on ‘using Glenn Chapple as an example. He could earn treble in 6 weeks than he earns in 3 years at Lancs. At his age it would be a no brainer provided of course, he went with Lancs blessing otherwise he would jeopardise his County contract.’
The cricket world is transfixed, and there’s a lot of hype to live up to for the players
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