The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : Laxman, Chawla told to shun their county teams

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Laxman, Chawla told to shun their county teams

NEW DELHI: India’s cricket chiefs, on Friday, barred two national stars from signing up with English counties because those sides included players aligned with the Indian Cricket League.

Veteran batsman Venkatsai Laxman and young leg-spinner Piyush Chawla were not allowed to play in English domestic cricket in a move seen as another attempt to crush the unauthorised ICL.

Laxman was due to play for Nottinghamshire after India’s upcoming Test series in Sri Lanka while Chawla was called up by Hampshire to replace retired Australian great Shane Warne.

“Our boys will not play alongside ICL players,” Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) spokesman Rajiv Shukla said.

“It is the board’s policy not to have any dealings with the ICL or its players.”

At least 15 of the 18 English counties field ICL players from across the world fearing restraint of trade action.

The ICL players with Nottinghamshire, where Laxman was due to play, are New Zealand all-rounders Andre Adams and Chris Cairns and England’s discarded wicket-keeper Chris Read.

Hampshire also has three ICL cricketers in South Africa-born wicket-keeper Nic Pothas, former South African paceman Nantie Hayward and former Australian all-rounder Ian Harvey.

Faisal Iqbal in trouble

Meanwhile, playing in a recent a Twenty20 invitational tournament in Florida along with some “rebel” cricketers has cost Faisal Iqbal a place in Pakistan’s list of probables for Champions Trophy and the trouble is not still over for Javed Miandad’s nephew, according to sources.

The Pakistan Cricket Board omitted the Test batsman from the preliminary squad and, according to PCB sources, any future course of action would be decided by the general body when it meets on July 24.

“Faisal is under great pressure as he just went to play in the invitational tournament after informing the board about the event. He went there since he has no assignments lined up with the national team or otherwise and wanted to make some money,” one source said. — Agencies

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