Sri Lanka Cricket clarifies stand on ICL players

Sri Lanka Cricket has revised its stance on ICL cricketers playing domestic cricket after a meeting with the sports minister Gamini Lokuge. The board clarified that the approval, given by the interim committee, to ICL players last week to play domestic matches was limited to the "upcoming Premier League Cricket Tournament 2008 only".

"All ICL contracted cricketers will not be permitted to represent teams at district, provincial and international level," SLC said in a statement.

On September 19, in an unexpected move, the SLC allowed five cricketers and an umpire, who had signed up for the unauthorised ICL in 2007, to take part in domestic cricket. Marvan Atapattu, the former Sri Lanka captain, Russel Arnold, Upul Chandana, Avishka Gunawardene, Saman Jayantha and umpire Ranmore Martinesz were the players who benefited from the decision.

However, at the meeting, Lokuge stressed the importance of working together with the Indian board, which has had a close relationship with the SLC for a long time. The BCCI had expressed its disappointment at the news of lifitng of the ban on the ICL players.

Lokuge also requested SLC's interim committee to negotiate with the England board so that Sri Lanka's IPL players can take part in the Twenty20 league next year. The tour, as of now, clashes with the IPL and Lokuge asked the committee to work out alternative dates and proceed with the tour. He is also yet to ratify Sri Lanka's Twenty20 squad for the Canada Cup Four Nation 20/20 in Ontario from October 10 to 13.