ENGLAND all-rounder Andrew Flintoff is one step closer to a return to top-flight cricket after being named in the Chennai Super Kings’ preliminary squad for the Airtel Champions League Twenty20 The 32-year-old, who has not played first-class cricket since the Ashes series in England last year, has been named in a star-studded 20-player Kings squad for the second edition of the 10-team tournament which will be played in South Africa September 10-26.
With eight of the nine teams having named their preliminary squads – with the exception of Wayamba – just three weeks remain before the final squads of 15 are selected on August 9.
A number of players have been named by more than one team, making each of the final selections an important strategic and financial decision for the teams.
As was the case in 2009, if a player is selected to play for an ‘away’ team rather than his ‘home’ team (the team from the country he is eligible to represent in international cricket), the ‘away’ team must pay $200 000 compensation (£131 000) to the ‘home’ team.
Flintoff is among world cricket’s biggest names who have been named in the preliminary squads, including Sachin Tendulkar (Mumbai Indians – MI), MS Dhoni (Chennai Super Kings – CSK), Mahela Jayawardene (Wayamba Elevens), Dale Steyn (Royal Challengers Bangalore – RCB), Rahul Dravid (RCB), JP Duminy (MI), Matthew Hayden (CSK), Ross Taylor (Central Stags/Victorian Bushrangers/RCB), Muttiah Muralidaran (CSK), Kieron Pollard (South Australian Redbacks/MI), Harbhajan Singh (MI) and Mike Hussey (CSK).
Among those players qualified for more than one team are:
Jacques Kallis (Warriors*, Royal Challengers Bangalore)
Mark Boucher (Warriors*, Royal Challengers Bangalore)
Ross Taylor (Central Stags*, Victorian Bushrangers, Royal Challengers Bangalore)
Kieron Pollard (South Australian Redbacks, Mumbai Indians)
Dwayne Bravo (Victorian Bushrangers, Mumbai Indians)
Cameron White (Victorian Bushrangers*, Royal Challengers Bangalore)
Note: * designates ‘home’ team. ‘Away’ teams are not eligible for compensation if a player chooses to play for his ‘home’ team.
The 10th and final team to compete at this year’s Airtel CLT20 will be decided when the West Indies’ domestic Twenty20 tournament finishes on July 31. The result of that tournament could also present a few more interesting options for the teams and their star performers at the selection table.
Key features of the tournament format and match schedule:
10 Teams divided into 2 Groups of 5
Top 2 Teams from each Group advance to the Semi-finals
23 Matches in total (same as 2009)
Group A – Chennai Super Kings, Warriors, Victorian Bushrangers, Wayamba Elevens, Central Stags
Group B – Mumbai Indians, Highveld Lions, South Australian Redbacks, Royal Challengers Bangalore, West Indies Domestic T20 Champions (TBC)
5 Double Headers
Matches evenly distributed across four venues
Semi-finals in Durban and Centurion
Final in Johannesburg (Eurosport)