The only thing that will stop Lalit Modi and his cronies from being the puppetmasters of world cricket is if FICA steps up and influences all of its players to skip the IPL for Modi's refusal to allow transparency and a dialogue with FICA regarding security arrangements. The IPL would surely collapse and Modi's head would spontaneously combust. Each league owner would then sue the BCCI for every last dime in its coffers.
The most important part of all of this is that Mohammad Yousuf, Shane Bond, Jason Gillespie and others would rightfully get to continue the things they should never have been prevented from doing in the first place, if only their home boards grew spines.

The biggest threat to the wellbeing of the game of Cricket is the absolute monopoly held by the BCCI over the whole game . Until some miracle appears I am sorry this game is heading down to a collapse.

How about some sports channel starting its own cricket board in NZ ? So that players who donot like BCCI can play for them.Why bother about BCCI if you donot like it.I guess you have no other means ....

The biggest problem is us; the people who actually watch the IPL. I am not going to be watching this circus called the IPL from now on.

I'm amazed nobody has stood up to the BCCI over this issue. Surely if the boards of each of the other countries refused to panda to their bullying something would have to change. If every other country picked players in their national team with ICL links there's no way India would just refuse to play against any of them. Even Modi would have to see that's bad for the game.

Great article by the way. This sort of thing needs to be said.

All the cricket boards that are bending over backwards to accomodate the whims of the BCCI should take the rap as well. I would like to see someone step up and let BCCI have it. I am tired of this nonsense from BCCI, but just as tired with each cricketing board dancing to BCCI's tunes. A Shane Bond against Sehwag and Sachin is what every fan is looking for, and the BCCI is robbing everyone of it. I agree with Peter, the IPL should collapse, Modi put in his place and we should see cricketers free to choose where they want to play.

Don't worry folks- the IPL is already facing scheduling problems as the tournament clashes with the General Elections for the Indian Parliament.

The government has asked the authorities to rejig the dates, and if there is still a clash, then the IPL will have to be rescheduled, or altogether cancelled for this year.

Let's see Lalit Modi and Co. overrule that! Just wait and see folks, the party has just started!

I don't think there'll be any solution to ICL issue because for BCCI it is a rival league and more importantly ICL will take away money share from people's pockets which BCCI think is their right. It's very unfortunate to loose lot of talented cricketer. I think Bond not able to play is biggest blow for NZ as well as World cricket. In current situation batsmen are slaying bowlers, quality bowlers are required more than ever before. Unfortunately ICC should be unbiased about the whole situation, is playing in hand of BCCI. Nowadays BCCI's sole objective is to make money and I am sure it'll threaten ICC also when world cup 2011 money sharing issue will arise. I think that's what happen when things handled by ruthless businessmen. I see result of current series also driven by money matters. How can you justify providing flat tracks to opposition loaded stroke player and susceptible against quality fast bowling.

The problem with other boards 'standing up' is these things have happened to them in the past. Remember Kerry Packer for Australia or the Rebel tours for England?

While Aus and Eng just stopped with banning the players, IPL and Modi are going to obscene lengths to crush ICL. Just pathetic!

All these evil deeds will haunt BCCI and Indian Cricket particularly one day. At the end of the day it will be Indian Public who has to pay price for all these silly and stupid BCCI behavior. Even most of the Indian Cricket Fans don't like BCCI. But not sure whether BCCI realize that or they just don't care.

BCCI is ruining this lovely game of cricket. Cricket is known as the Gentlemen's game, and BCCI is doing everything opposite to that.

What crime are the ICL players committing? That they are playing cricket? BCCI and the ICC are trying to top each other on who can ruin this game faster.

This is a brilliant article. Thank you.

The BCCI's high handedness is really reaching shame-worthy proportions now. Not only have they cut short some extremely promising careers (Bond, Marshall, Tuffy) they have also humiliated some of the biggest names in Indian cricket. People like Kapil Dev, Sandip Patil gave India it's proudest moment in sporting history. Way back in 1983. Only to be branded as rebels many years later. Can't see what can we as a nation or as a cricket loving public find more shameful. May the curse of a billion cricket fans haunt you Mr.Modi, for the rest of your life.

Also, one question for Mr. Modi. If the IPL is about unearthing local talent and giving them a chance to play along leading global stars, why is the IPl limited to a 20/20 league? How about a one day and four day competition amongst the franchisees?

I am quite taken back by the hatred for IPL, Modi & BCCI in this forum. Let us get few things straight: IPL is a business innovation that strategically re-engineered the thought process involved in cricket by mixing entertainment with cricket. BCCI, no matter how chaotic they are, have looked after the cricketers and the fans. Modi is a businessman with eyes on profit making and revenue generation. ICL is a copycat version of IPL (Kapil famously stole the strategies though ICL did come out first). Would ECB or CA or PCB be willing to have another organization that claim to create a parallel league? I don't think so! ICL should be dismantled to ensure that BCCI's and more importantly, India's interests are protected! I am in no way supporting some of the unprofessional behavior shown my BCCI leaders, but that is not the topic under discussion. As a cricket fan, I want to see ICL disappear in the horizon, just because it devalues efforts of BCCI.Do you seriosly think ICL cares about ckt?

I think most of us agree the arm-twisting tactics of the BCCI are ridiculous. But the fact of the matter is the other boards do not have much power over either the BCCI or its own players. The BCCI would be worried about other boards boycotting it, they would happily take the international players who would rather make money in the IPL than go through the rigours of international cricket for a relatively measly pay.

The only solution is to have PLAYERS boycott the IPL and let's face it, that is not going to happen unless there are security issues in India.

The way I perceive, I think rest of the world are just jealous of the fact that India is a powerhouse of cricket. This is a global economy where the fittest survives. If you really think BCCI or IPL is bad, let us see if rest of the world is smart enough to handle BCCI's threat diplomatically through strategic processes. India is where the market is, where money is and where capital is. IPL is a fantastic way for India to produce cricketers of extraordinary quality. As always, us Indians want to share our wealth and happiness with rest of the world. Hence we cordially invite cricketers from other parts of the world to join us in the fun. IPL will just go ahead with our without FICA, CA, ECB and PCB.

great article.....for me the loss of shane bond (one of my all time favourite fast bowlers) and Mohammad Yousuf (my favourite batsman) epitomises the gravity of loss suferred by cricket globally as a result of modi and his colleagues shambolic, disgraceful behaviour (BCCI offcourse being a big culprit as well).

I am surprised that the BCCI has the backing of two indian cricketers that are...or were very well respected globally......Gavaskar n shastri....i for one thought that Mr.gavaskar had a lot more self-integrity and a hint of self-righteousness.....but hes sadly playing a puppet to the fiasco of a show run by the BCCI and its cronies....probably the element of self-righteousness n integrity in his personality wud return ven he finds a fault with the australians ....n starts to criticise them...lol.

why blame BCCI alone?
I am not in any means supporting them.
But no other board has the "balls" to stand up against 1 lalith modi?

that movie and astle thing is the height of it.just step up you cowards.face it.whats the players association doing?

The BCCI that includes Shah and Modi are a bunch of businessmen and politicians. That makes them rich and powerful. But immaturity in handling the fabulous resources in their stewardship also makes them arrogant and unresponsive. The fact that none of them are sportsmen does not help. I am not sure they are bullying as is being alleged. They are simply addressing their inner doubts generated by their tactics of alieniation. It's a pity that they won't even hear or read what their well meaning critics have to say. They are blinded by their wealth and influence. Yeah, a downfall is on the cards. If justice prevails, that is. We have no quarrel with India as a country. We enjoy reading about its success and jealousy never enters the mind when you have shared the spoils in some way. It is also understandable that some Indians might read all this as taking a swipe at the country itself. But what the BCCI is up to now deserves mention in every forum to help snowball support for the better.

Iyerwazh has it backwards. ICL started first, and then the BCCI realized this was a good business plan. As the BCCI in conjunction with ICC is now stepping into the cricketer's right to make a living, the courts (especially in England) should rightly over-rule the "ban" on ICL players turning out for their clubs, countries and otherwise. There is a clause in the ICC charter that allows for "unofficial" tournaments. The IPL is an unofficial tournament and so is the ICL. The BCCI has no moral or legal right to curtail the ICL.

Lets see the BCCI run the IPL
without any other country's players ?
Success ? Nope a huge flop !

I would like to refresh the poor memory of Iyerwash. It was Kapil who mooted the idea of having T20 league and started the tournament much before BCCI had any plans. BCCI is bliended by their greed and Modi thinks he could run the world cricket. Indian arrogance will not last, if all right mided people think beyond greenbacks. Sorry, but I am not going to support Indian cricket any more. Sachin included, they are a bunch of back-bone less idiots.

I have to agree with Iyerwazh (mostly). What Bond & Co did was of their own volition. One cannot work for Ford and GM at the same time; it is a contract law issue well established world wide. Cricket Boards BCCI, ECB CA etc. have been running cricket under the ICC banner for decades. None of these organizations are perfect, but I would rather have them running it rather than ICL or anything else which is not a formal cricket Board with any history or interest in running the game in the long trem. Also, bowlers like Tuffey were good only on springboard wickets where club cricketers looked good. These same bowlers were exposed even on slightly less helpful wickets. Bond has been injury prone and is not comparable to McGrath or a Holding etc.
Having said that, I think the BCCI should exempt all non-field, indirect cricket activity. (commentary, movies etc.) By pushing too far they may lose out in the image front, even if they win the legal battle in court.

To a non-Indian such as myself, there's no tangible difference between the IPL and the ICL, so it's absolutely baffling - and utterly ridiculous - for the BCCI to strongarm New Zealand like this. First it was players. Now it's commentators. What next? Sponsors? Spectators? Manufacturers? The BCCI's single-minded aim to monopolize world cricket poses a bigger challenge to the game than even the threat of terrorism, easy money and inept administration. Cricket can survive terrorism, the lure of millions of dollars, and the general foot-in-mouth of the ICC. But if the BCCI sets out to dictate terms (politely or otherwise) to cricket boards around the world, then precious few will be able to stand up to it.

To Iyerwazh: So what? Why does the BCCI have the sole authority over cricket? That's ridiculuous! What next? No kiddy leagues allowed in other countries if their parents watched some ICL matches? Why does the BCCI care so much anyway? Its because of the money. According to your logic a company powerful enough should be able to bully everyone else out of business, not through selling a product, but through the use of underhanded techniques. That would be like Microsoft going over to the houses of people who have apple products and forcing them to give up using a computer because its not Microsoft sanctioned. Get a grip!

I sure am not going to watch the IPL nonsense this season.

Does one A.W. Greig not commentate for the ICL.....?

Ram Rayaprolu: As a consumer, you are free to stop watching all cricket, if you so decide. There is however no need to indulge in name calling ("idiots" etc) of players. It shows that you have no worthwhile argument in a proper debate.
The lack of knowlegde of contract law by most writers is quite appalling. There is a reason why ICL or other Boards have not taken this to court and tested it. The case law does not look good for ICL. Remember BCCI and CA and ECB etc. give out central contracts these days with a base pay and pension plus match fees. This is very different from yesteryears. They are free to play in Board organized games (County, Clubs etc.) to earn more. IPL was the extra icing. Players also endorse products and make money. This complaint is a minor matter as all players (current & former) have it so good these days. BCCI/IPL will soon factor in image, just like any Corp. and accomodate some things. In this money crunch globally, they may even merge to save on costs.

Raj Gopal: All your analogies including the Microsoft one, is plainly wrong. As a legal bloke I would use other weaker points in BCCI/ICCs stand. People were not forced to watch IPL over ICL or players were not forced to select one over the other. They went to the teams which gave the most money, just like your accepting a job for the best pay. In fact Microsoft and Apple produce programs/products that ARE based on their Operating system with you the customer buying only the version that is compatible. Apple has finally integrated some things across the two platforms but limitations do exist. I have both and end up buying two versions. This matter has been tested in court, for each company can produce its own platform and software. You see Ford parts will not fit in a GM so to speak. So get past your blind hatred and study the matter deeply. However, as I said before, BCCI/IPL will have to up its image and offer some compromises or just merge with ICL.

Sky being one of the world's largest broadcasting companies should pay no heed to BCCI.Other commentators should pull the plug and tell "no coverage if no macca".I think Modi has found a suitable opponent in the General Elections.It is nice to see him have some sleepless nights and running around here and there.I am sure a cricket fan will be willing to watch Shane Bond and Tuffey in action than see Cheer girls prancing around.

AN

How are players turning out for ICL teams any different from foreign players turning out for County cricket or Sheffield Shield in years gone by? If the BCCI wants to ban Indian ICL players from their official fixtures, that's their prerogative. But why are they determined that ICL players in other countries should be blacklisted as well? I remember in the Lilac Hill Festival Match this year (not an official T20 or List-A fixture) neither Murray Goodwin or Ryan Campbell- both distinguished servants of West Australian cricket- were permtted to take part because of their ICL links. Why?

Good grief! How many articles of this sort are churned out every month? And they've got absolutely nothing new to say. Is the BCCI acting like a big bully? Yes. What are the other countries doing about it? Nothing. They're happy to play along, all the while sending out this 'Oh poor us, we don't want to do this but we can't help it' backroom vibe. Let's face it -- Shane Bond joined the ICL because he was pissed off with the way NZC was treating him. Mohd Yousuf likewise, with the PCB. These boards are basically now using the BCCI as an excuse to settle their own scores. If the BCCI is all politicians and businessmen, what are other boards made of? Is the ECB an exemplar of all things pure and perfect about cricket administration? Or the WICB? Or the PCB or CSA? I hate the BCCI for the bullies that they are. But i think other nations need to start holding their own boards accountable. Why did the best bowler in NZ feel compelled to play in a rebel league in India? A good place to start.

For the people trying to justify BCCI's bullish behavior by hiding behind some complicated legal terminology: Shame on you!

If we still believe in a free world, free thoughts (and I believe increasingly less), I see no problems as to why the ICL is banned. Cricket is not anyone's monopoly, no one has the right to tell anyone who can make money out of it or not.

I firmly believe that BCCI should not take one step backwards to any other cricketing board not should it change its policy on IPL. It pains to see Indians jumping into the wagon of BCCI bashing! Agreed that BCCI is a collective representation of corporate greed and chaotic management structure. But that is not the point here. BCCI does represent India at a national & international level. Changes in the organization should be challenged in court and through legal channels. Under no circumstance can we allow other nation's board to instruct BCCI or curb its activities. I would like to repeat my point earlier that it is out of jealousy that other nations bash BCCI. Their respective boards and the grand-daddy ICC is just as inept and impotent dealing with issues and controversies. ICL is unauthorized simply because it does not have a national boards approval. Why not Emerging media take ICL to say, Pakistan or England with their board's approval? Why India? Lets be real, everyones after $

I think lot of the comments in this area comes out of sheer jealous of India's dominence in world cricket. Let's first know what ICL means to BCCI. The ICL is an organization that questions that legitemacy of BCCI's position in Indian Cricket and ICL's presence can seriously damage the survival of the BCCI. ICL was started with the sole purpose of tapping the huge Indian cricket market. I whole heartedly support the BCCI's stand of demolishing the ICL. If ICL is allowed to survive and grow, then we will have at 5 or 6 cricket leagues in India owned by all the popular TV channels, which will lead to Indian crkcket going down the perril and in turn world cricket. It should be the crickets who should be blamed for being so jealous. Having said that, I think the BCCI officials should have the down the isolation in a more mellowed manner. Anyway, one positive thing that have come out of the ICL, is that the cricketers all around the world are paid much better.

As a cricket fan i would love to see Sachin and Sehwag beating hell out of Bond but it coudnt happen, courtesy of immaturely handled raft between BCCI and ICL. IPL is a strategically and innovatively created entertainment cricket event which has won hands down against ICL. But i believe it would have been better had it allowed cross switching of players as it would have demonstrated real power of BCCI's cricketing muscles.

Instead of banning players all over the world and inviting unnecessory derogatory aggression BCCI's could have destroyed ICL by executing superior quality cricket entertainment.

BCCI missed a trick in impulse and now may be whole community of Indian and World Cricketing Fan will have to pay for it in near or distant future.

As far as I am concerned, the 20-20 leagues are money-spinning ventures in the garb of sports. Hence I do not have much sympathy for either of them. However, a free market system does not allow the monopolization of the game by one body. How can a guy who has never picked up a cricket bat or ball be allowed to take decisions over players earning their bread & butter by employing skills they know best. Drawing an analogy, it's akin to a person without an engineering/science background being asked to head the research division of an automobile company. I am sure nobody would allow for that. Of course, other boards are guilty of pandering to the whims of this monolithic organization called the BCCI for the sake of easy money. But there's a thing such as ethics. The whole premise of free market, on which these guys have built their money, rings hollow when they deny others the opportunity to do the same.

Well said, IyerWazh et al. Let me say at the outset that I do not condone BCCI, NZC, IPL, ICL or any other TLA you may want to imagine.
But Mr Ford, isn't the pot calling the kettle black! How is this any different to what the IRB (Internat'l Rugby Board) is asking of NZ in terms of clean stadia. I don't have to remind you of all the brouhaha and posturing that took place in NZ when the clean stadia requirement was forced upon it. Every entity is allowed to take steps and measures to "protect its empire". Not that it makes it any right, but wake up, there are precedents all over. Don't just squibble on BCCI.

Perhaps if the Beige Brigade were to be sponsored by the IPL, they would be making a similar claim. It's their party and they can invite/refuse whoever they want, take their toys and go home etc.

On an interesting note, what does Jacob Oram, Mccullum and all those other big-bickie paid cricketers think of this? Don't just pick on Niranjan Shah - he's just voicing his boss's view

The BCCI's opposition to the ICC has been juvenile and its stance about most issues has bordered on the confrontationist. In all its effort to dominate, the quality of cricket has fallen like never before. It is high time the ICC showed a stomach for a fight and reclaimed the game for the cricketing world. Otherwise, the game will die a slow death.

AN: Bond sought advice from NZC before he signed with the ICL. His ICL contract allows him to play for NZ. Only after he had signed to NZC change the advice it had given him! The ICL is not a competitor to NZC your argument is flawed in this specific instance.

I find some respected Indian friends like AN and IyerWazh are not getting the point here. Let me make an attempt to make it clearer. Apologies to AN and IyerWazh for not being as articulate or learned as them. You see the thing is the BCCI is acting like the clerk who has become the office CEO for one day. Guys, BCCI's domination of the ICC and other boards has got everything to do with the $$$ they have. Your team is not Steve Waugh or Ricky Ponting's awesome Australia, not even Clive Lloyd and Viv Richards' unbeatable West Indies. Go and win 10 Test matches on the trot and make three World Cup Finals in three attempts and then try to rule the world by bullying. Mind it, ndia's cricket team will fall within a year.

The bcci drama is good for world cricket. we had enough blandness for years. This years ipl will be the biggest yet simply because ppl pay for entertainment and the biggest stars are on cast.

Sorry to see the BCCI bashing. NZ practically is no bigger then bermuda and interesting to see them sprouting egos. I mean, come on, you are playing a game underwritten by bcci and you gripe about your paymasters' high handedness.

BCCI bashers better get behind ICL. England and CA are already BCCI cronies.

Let the BCCI pick the players, commentators, managers, coaches , cheerleaders and sponsors for the WC in SA. Did I leave anyone out? Oh yes, they should pick the umpires, too. We can't have non-sanctioned (by the BCCI and IPL) umpires officiating in the biggest tournament in the world.

The BCCI should be ashamed of themselves for the sole reason of stepping on people's livelihoods - they have a right to stop ICL players participating in the IPL, but the other steps reek of a monopolistic, anti-labour mentality.

BCCI is the official governing body for cricket in India & a er entirely justified in banning leagues & those associated with it, who are only after money. If people accuse IPL to be only a money spinning venture, think again. All that money is being used for the development of, not some businessman (ICL boss), Indian cricket. In my view Modi is definitely the Indian with the smartest brain, who can make billions out of a mere bat & a ball. Not for nothing has the IPL business model been incorporated into the syllabus of Indian Institute of Management (the best B-school in Asia). Modi bashers are just jealous that they couldn't come up with something even 1% as good as IPL & can't bear to see so called "Third-world countries" like India dictating them. Way to go BCCI, when you have the muscles, why not flex them? Till early 90's we Asians faced the discrimination from Eng & Aus, and now the scene has changed, both on & off the field.

Shankar Narayan.C = prick

AN has no right to comment on NZ players or their situations as he clearly has no idea what he is talking about

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