With the contract dispute between Cricket Australia and the Indian Premier League resolved, the scene's all clear for the players...
The contracts tussle between Cricket Australia and the Indian Premier League (IPL) has been resolved, ending weeks of uncertainty over the availability of top Australian players for the Twenty20 tournament.
"The issue has been resolved," IPL Commissioner Lalit Modi told Cricinfo. "Two or three Australian players have already signed up with IPL. Hopefully, in the next 24 hours, this will go down the line. The process has already begun. Now it's just a matter of getting through to the Australian players and their agents," Modi said.
The dispute revolved round protecting the rights of the Australian team's global sponsors during the tournament, which will be telecast live in Australia by Channel Ten. However, asked whether the compromise that has been worked out involved compensation or protection to Australia's sponsors, Modi said: "No. We have made it clear."
A resolution to the issue was on the cards, given that the last day for players to sign up for the IPL - as indicated by Modi - was Sunday. On Thursday, a senior Indian cricket board official had told Cricinfo that the contracts tussle was nearing a resolution. "It's not a conflict situation any longer. We are looking at a resolution now," the official had said.
The IPL organizers are now looking for some clarity to emerge on Australia's impending Test tour of Pakistan before the deadline. Cricket Australia's security advisors have warned against going ahead with the tour and a cancellation will enable the biggest names, including Ricky Ponting, the captain, and fast bowler Brett Lee, to appear for the IPL.
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