Cricket 24/7, the most comprehensive website dedicated to the Indian Cricket has launched a fan site for its members. The site aims to be the premier location for fans on the net, a place where Indian cricket enthusiasts can exchange videos, photos or just meet and chat with other ICL fans. It can be accessed at http://fanclub.CRICKET247.in
With a resounding start of 150+ members in the first week, and a lot of interaction and fun already on board, things can only get better once the ICL actually takes off! The Cricket247 Fan club allows members to share videos, photos and discuss cricket via its easy to use and fast interface. What makes it different from all the other cricket sites out there is its focus on the ICL and its intent to be a major player in the promotion of the newly launched domestic cricket tournament.
Don't wait - CLICK HERE TO JOIN THE ICL FAN CLUB!
Monday, September 17, 2007
Champions League Cricket - Indian Premier league
NEW Zealand could take the extraordinary step of fielding teams in an Australian competition as a precursor to a global Twenty20 league, which would pit franchises from different nations against each other and result in an international exchange of players.
The global Twenty20 model, devised by the Board of Control for Cricket in India and Cricket Australia, is loosely based on the successful Champions League of European football, where top teams from national competitions compete for supremacy.
Franchises would be permitted to poach players from outside their regions, creating the possibility of Shane Warne or Glenn McGrath representing Indian teams in matches against their native Victoria and NSW. McGrath and Stephen Fleming were touted as signings yesterday.
The Twenty20 Champions League was largely formed in response to the establishment of the rebel Indian Cricket League - a made-for-television tournament that has already attracted players such as Brian Lara, Inzamam-ul-Haq and Mohammad Yousuf.
Australia, England, South Africa and India, launched the new annual competition in New Delhi last night.
The inaugural tournament, to be played in October 2008, will feature the two best sides from each of the four countries, playing each other over nine days and vying for a share of $US5 million ($6m) in prizemoney.
Australia's best players will find it difficult to be available for their states, as cricket's already jammed calendar means clashes with international commitments will be unavoidable. Australia will be playing a Test series in India when the first Champions Twenty20 is played.
Transfers do raise the possibility of more exotic player allegiances, such as Kevin Pietersen batting for Victoria and Ricky Ponting captaining Free State.
Making cricket global also means it can push into new markets, as venues such as New York or Beijing might host matches.
"That creates an opportunity there that is otherwise non-existent," Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland said.
The new competition was announced after weeks of talks between officials from CA, Cricket South Africa, the England and Wales Cricket Board and the Board of Control for Cricket.
The launch came in conjunction with the BCCI's announcement of the Indian Premier League, a group of franchises that will compete for that country's Twenty20 title and the right to progress through to the Champions stage. The IPL will aim to effectively ward off the challenge of the ICL.
Sutherland said Australia first raised the Champions concept with the BCCI about two years ago, but it was only recently that India embraced Twenty20.
Sutherland denied the league was designed to destroy breakaways, as the four countries believed Twenty20 was best played in domestic avenues. "The BCCI was never going to embrace [the idea] until they had something going with Twenty20," he said.
ICL chief Himanshu Modi said his league would still be sustainable, even if the Champions League concept succeeded.
"They are trying to copy our format, so we've shaken them up," Modi said.
"Until a few weeks back they were critical of our concept and calling it a completely money-making venture. Now we've got the world's cricketing bodies to look at where cricket is headed and think progressively. That can only be a good thing."
The global Twenty20 model, devised by the Board of Control for Cricket in India and Cricket Australia, is loosely based on the successful Champions League of European football, where top teams from national competitions compete for supremacy.
Franchises would be permitted to poach players from outside their regions, creating the possibility of Shane Warne or Glenn McGrath representing Indian teams in matches against their native Victoria and NSW. McGrath and Stephen Fleming were touted as signings yesterday.
The Twenty20 Champions League was largely formed in response to the establishment of the rebel Indian Cricket League - a made-for-television tournament that has already attracted players such as Brian Lara, Inzamam-ul-Haq and Mohammad Yousuf.
Australia, England, South Africa and India, launched the new annual competition in New Delhi last night.
The inaugural tournament, to be played in October 2008, will feature the two best sides from each of the four countries, playing each other over nine days and vying for a share of $US5 million ($6m) in prizemoney.
Australia's best players will find it difficult to be available for their states, as cricket's already jammed calendar means clashes with international commitments will be unavoidable. Australia will be playing a Test series in India when the first Champions Twenty20 is played.
Transfers do raise the possibility of more exotic player allegiances, such as Kevin Pietersen batting for Victoria and Ricky Ponting captaining Free State.
Making cricket global also means it can push into new markets, as venues such as New York or Beijing might host matches.
"That creates an opportunity there that is otherwise non-existent," Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland said.
The new competition was announced after weeks of talks between officials from CA, Cricket South Africa, the England and Wales Cricket Board and the Board of Control for Cricket.
The launch came in conjunction with the BCCI's announcement of the Indian Premier League, a group of franchises that will compete for that country's Twenty20 title and the right to progress through to the Champions stage. The IPL will aim to effectively ward off the challenge of the ICL.
Sutherland said Australia first raised the Champions concept with the BCCI about two years ago, but it was only recently that India embraced Twenty20.
Sutherland denied the league was designed to destroy breakaways, as the four countries believed Twenty20 was best played in domestic avenues. "The BCCI was never going to embrace [the idea] until they had something going with Twenty20," he said.
ICL chief Himanshu Modi said his league would still be sustainable, even if the Champions League concept succeeded.
"They are trying to copy our format, so we've shaken them up," Modi said.
"Until a few weeks back they were critical of our concept and calling it a completely money-making venture. Now we've got the world's cricketing bodies to look at where cricket is headed and think progressively. That can only be a good thing."
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