England stars cleared for IPL
Kevin Pietersen and Paul Collingwood could be set for the IPL
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Thursday, 22, Jan 2009 10:53
Several big-name England players, including Kevin Pietersen and Andrew Flintoff, look set to play in this season's Indian Premier League after reaching an agreement that enables them to take part.
A standoff between the stars and the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) emerged after many players demanded the option to play in the money-spinning competition.
And after initially refusing to pander to the players' wishes, the sport's top brass have apparently reneged and are to allow England's centrally contracted Test players a 21-day window to play and put themselves up for next month's auction.
Test and one-day international all-rounder Paul Collingwood, who is likely to be one of the first to declare his entry in the auction set for February 6th, said he was "excited" by the prospect of playing in the sub-continental Twenty20 competition.
"[The contracts] have been signed by the players and we are waiting on the IPL to come back with confirmation," he said.
The agreement, of which details are sketchy at present, is expected to give the centrally contracted players who are bought at the auction permission to play for up to three weeks.
Other English players not on central contracts will have a four-week grace period from domestic commitments.
The IPL begins in April and will take place between the current Test and one-day tour of the West Indies and the beginning of the summer domestic season, which is set to be dominated by the arrival of Australia and the Ashes.
Players bought at the IPL auction will be contracted to their franchise for two seasons.