OZ TRIES TO LURE ITS STAR PLAYERS

OUT OF IPL

SYDNEY: (TIP): Cricket Australia (CA) has made an attempt to lure away its key players from the lucrative Indian Premier League (IPL) by offering them multi-year central contracts. The Australian players normally get a one-year contract.

Howard, CA’s executive general manager of team performance, made the approaches at a time when the governing body and the Australian Cricketers’ Association are in the midst of a dispute over new pay deals for the players.

The offer, made to Test captain Steve Smith, vice captain David Warner and fast bowlers Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins, however, got a lukewarm response from the players. The report said the terms of the multi-year deals, discussed informally with Howard, were regarded as underwhelming by the players — the only incentive for missing IPL being the security of a three-year contract.

It is believed if CA has to succeed in its move, it has to come up with big cash incentives since Smith and Warner, who captain their IPL franchises, collect more than $1 million a year from the T20 league. Besides, their earning capacity is set to rise sharply following the new IPL broadcast deal. Warner’s retainer with CA is estimated to be worth $2 million but he could earn as much as $10 million in IPL alone over the next three years.

In view of the hectic international schedule in 2019, which includes an Ashes series and the World Cup, CA apparently want to ensure their players remain fit and have sufficient break to recover before the gruelling international season starts after April and May.

Source: Agencies