ECB contract negotiations …
ENGLAND’S cricketers could be poised to sign their central contracts before the Test squad sets off for the tour of the Caribbean on January 21, after a 15-day window for IPL participation was agreed between the Professional Cricketers’ Association and the ECB.

The decision could give England’s star players, Andrew Flintoff and Kevin Pietersen, the chance to earn up to £300 000 for a fortnight’s work.

The opportunity to participate in the IPL has been a major stumbling block in the contract negotiations with the ECB, which have been ongoing ever since the 12-man list was unveiled back in September. Now, however, with an auction for new IPL signings set to take place on February 6, the players are set to be available to the franchises for a limited period between April 10 and 25.

The agreed dates mean that any selected players will be able to take part in the first two weeks of the competition (which runs until May 29) before returning to England for a round of four-day Championship matches that start on April 28 and 29, ahead of the first Test against West Indies which begins at Lord’s on May 6.

“We think this is realistic and sensible,” Sean Morris, the PCA chief executive, told The Times. “There was some pressure to get back for a four-day game before the Test. The guys understand that and I think they are happy. I would say we are now 99 per cent there.”

In addition to the 12 full contracts, the ECB has seven players on incremental contracts – among them Ravi Bopara and Owais Shah – and should any of those players be offered contracts during the auction, they may be permitted to play in India for an extra week, assuming they are not required for the Test series.

Realistically, however, only Flintoff and Pietersen are in line for big-money contracts. Both men could come close to matching the valuation of the highest-earning player in the IPL, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who commanded a fee of close to £1 million for the 2008 tournament, although their actual earnings would be nearer £300 000 on a pro-rata basis.

The squad limit for non-Indian players has been increased from eight to ten, although a total salary cap of US$2 million for new additions might deter the franchises from the sort of big spending that became a feature of the first season. (Cricinfo)