Availability, high price went against English cricketers: Franchisees
By IANSSunday, January 9, 2011
BANGALORE - High prices and uncertainty over availability hit English cricketers at the Indian Premier League (IPL) players’ auction that ended here Sunday.
Ashes heroes James Anderson and Grame Swann were not considered by any of the franchises on the opening day of auction.
“One dampener was availability and second English players overpriced themselves,” Royal Challengers Bangalore owner Vijay Mallya told a post-auction news conference.
Ness Wadia of Kings XI Punjab agreed.
“The base price (of English players) was high.It is not an ideal situation. It benefits everyone if it is done earlier,” he said.
Both as well as IPL chairman Chirayu Amin disagreed with the suggestion that late decision of English Cricket and Wales Board (ECB) to release the players affected their prospects at the auction.
“Late decision by ECB was not a deterrent,” Amin asserted.
Wadia felt an early decision by ECB on the issue of players’ availability would have been ideal.
