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The draft is likely to heavily tap into players who went unsold at the IPL auction

Danyal Rasool10-Dec-2024The draft for the tenth edition of the PSL will take place on January 11. The date for the draft is later than PSL drafts have historically taken place, though that is partially down to the window for the tournament being pushed back by a month; it will now take place in a four-week slot between early April and mid-May, with the PCB no longer viewing a clash with the IPL as a no-go area.While no further details of player availability have been announced, the draft is likely to heavily tap into players who went unsold at the IPL auction. One of the factors that influenced the PSL moving into the IPL’s slot was the greater degree of certainty that players not at the IPL would be available due to the near-complete lack of any international fixtures during that period.At the IPL this year, David Warner, Kane Williamson, Akeal Hosein, Jonny Bairstow, Adil Rashid and Keshav Maharaj were among the players that went unsold, and while many may have had international commitments during the PSL’s window in other years, that will not be the case this time around.Related

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This does not guarantee that all those players will be available to the PSL. The England Cricket Board (ECB) is currently embroiled in a dispute with the Professional Cricketers’ Association (PCA) after they announced they would not issue NOCs for first-class cricketers to play any overseas league apart from the IPL that clashed with the domestic season. While the T20 Blast, which starts on May 29, will not clash with the PSL, the County Championship starts on April 4, and almost certainly will. What the terms of any resolution are is likely to have a significant impact upon the PSL, which has historically drawn overseas talent quite heavily from England.The move into the IPL window, which ESPNcricinfo first reported on in 2022, is one the PCB is looking to make permanent as it tries to move away from the increasingly cramped December-March window in which it operates currently, where it clashes not only with four other T20 leagues, but also a busy international cricket calendar. By contrast, moving to the April to May window means little to no Full Member international cricket and only the IPL, against which, officials acknowledge, it can’t compete but can try to co-exist with. And if, as expected, the PSL inducts two new teams from 2026, there remains potential to accommodate a longer season in that window.In the medium term, it will also help the PSL avoid being played almost entirely in Ramadan, as would have been the case in 2025. As part of the lunar calendar, Ramadan starts ten days earlier every year on the Gregorian calendar so it would clash with the PSL’s usual February-March window for the next few years. Ramadan not only affects timings of games and crowd turnout, it is also a big window for advertising; playing the PSL in Ramadan would impact advertising and sponsorship revenues for the league.The decision to switch windows was by no means one that met universal agreement. ESPNcricinfo understands a number of franchise owners were sceptical, if not outright opposed to the move at the time. However, the decision did not necessarily require the support of the franchises, with the PSL’s governing council possessing the authority to make a unilateral decision on the matter.

“I guess it’s a great way to give back to the fans that’ve supported us,” Tim Southee says

Deivarayan Muthu07-Jul-2021New Zealand’s World Test Championship-winning squad is set for a week-long, nationwide tour with the mace later this month. The tour will kick off in Whangarei on July 26 and will end in Invercargill (Stadium Southland) on August 1, with Auckland (Eden Park), Tauranga (Hamilton), New Plymouth/Palmerston North, Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin (Forsyth Barr Stadium) being the other stops on the trip.Captain Kane Williamson, Kyle Jamieson, the Player of the Match in the historic WTC final, Devon Conway and Colin de Grandhomme, however, will not be part of the revelry at home, as they are all currently in the UK, playing county cricket or preparing for the Hundred. The rest of the players and the support staff will likely be part of the tour after spending time with their families following MIQ (Managed Isolation Quarantine) in Auckland.Spinners Will Somerville and Todd Astle, and opening batter Jeet Raval, will also take part in the tour. The trio was not part of the squad for the UK tour, with the WTC final thrown in, but will be recognised for their roles in helping New Zealand qualify for the final.”It’s quickly become apparent that Kiwis want an opportunity to be part of, and to share in this historic achievement,” NZC chief executive David White said in a statement. “We’ve been inundated with requests to do something so that New Zealanders can join in with the team and share the moment.”At first, we thought the time-out in managed isolation and the length of time since the win would dampen enthusiasm for a public celebration, but we have been persuaded to think again.”NZC/BlackCaps

Senior seamer Tim Southee has been lined up to launch the tour in his hometown of Whangarei. He was particularly excited about sharing New Zealand’s WTC success with the public.”I guess it’s a great way to give back to the fans that’ve supported us – not only the last couple of years through the Test Championship but for a long time,” Southee said. “For some of these smaller places that don’t get a lot of international cricket or see a lot of cricketers, it’s a great chance to go back to those smaller towns… I know growing up in a small town, anytime there’s something special like that, it’s always a great occasion. Hopefully, we can give back and hopefully give kids a bit of future hope of future cricketers.”Southee was also looking forward to celebrating the occasion with Somerville, Astle and Raval who were among 22 players that represented New Zealand in the inaugural World Championship cycle.”With the Test Championship spanning over a two-year period, we used a number of players. I think 20-odd players in total and although there was [only] 15 in the final, it was nice for those guys that contributed,” Southee said. “I look back to the likes of Somers that played a massive role in the series in Sri Lanka that got us underway in the Test Championship, so it’s great to have those guys that contributed along the way in a two-year cycle to get us through to the final. So, it’s nice for them to be able to bask in the rewards as well.”‘Huge of sense of pride among the whole community here’ – Somerville
As for Somerville, he will be part of the Auckland leg of the mace tour. The offspinner had played his part in New Zealand’s overseas Test victories in Abu Dhabi and Colombo.”It was just a huge sense of pride, having been involved in a small way,” Somerville said. “[I] suppose I played three of the games before the final. Huge sense of pride amongst the whole community here – walking up to school and dropping the kids off. Everyone was very excited, talking about it, and there was a lot of buzz around, going into day six and yeah there was not a lot of sleep had by the dads the next day and it was very exciting. It was a nice result to have after a few years of really good cricket by the Black Caps.William Somerville played a key role for New Zealand in their overseas victory at the P Sara Oval•Getty Images

“It [the mace] looks like quite a big thing to hold. But it’d be fun waving it like a wand I suppose and get some photos with it…To have won the first World Test Championship final is something that everyone in New Zealand is going to remember forever. To be part of that history is pretty wonderful really.”The 36-year old has not played for New Zealand since the Sydney Test last year, but could come back into the selection frame as the side prepares for two Tests in India later this year, which will be part of the second WTC cycle.”I’ve always felt a part of this squad and the wider squad, in contact with Steady [coach Gary Stead] and Gav [selector Gavin Larsen] about where I sit,” Somerville said. “Unfortunately last year we were supposed to go to Bangladesh in August, but by the time June came out, we sort of knew that wasn’t going to happen. That was a two-Test series that I’d have liked to be a part of; it hasn’ t happened.”Moving forward, there’s a tour of India in November – whether that’s in India or not who knows at this point? I’m sure they’ll be keen for it to be there based on the wickets that we present for them. So, hopefully they will want to get us back with some spin-friendly wickets and it’ll be nice if we can meet that challenge head-on. If that occurs, I’d love to be a part of that. Certainly have my eyes set on the Indian tour and hoping that I can have that opportunity into the year.”

After the deal struck with Andrew McDonald as assistant coach, CA are likely to adapt their player contracts

Daniel Brettig31-Oct-20191:14

‘ACA must do better to help players like Cummins’ – Siddle

Australian cricket’s leadership is open to returning to the option of multi-year contracts for their top players in the wake of the agreement of a groundbreaking coaching deal with Andrew McDonald that will allow him the flexibility to maintain pre-arranged commitments in the IPL and the Hundred.Earl Eddings, the Cricket Australia chairman, followed his first AGM in charge by agreeing that the rapidly changing cricket world required both better relationships and greater flexibility from administrators, as underlined by the decision to agree to McDonald’s preferred terms and so ensure his skills would not be lost to the head coach Justin Langer.He told ESPNcricinfo that the new dual high performance chiefs Ben Oliver (manager of national teams) and Drew Ginn (manager of high performance) can be expected to look at the option of multi-year deals for top ranked players, a part of the CA contracting system in the first decade of the 21st century but less common following the performance-based recommendations of the Argus review in 2011, and presently a recommendation to the board before the next contract cycle.”The game has changed so quickly, in terms of the various other options players and coaches both now have, which I think is great for the game,” Eddings told ESPNcricinfo. “It gives them an opportunity to show their wares to the rest of the world and Cricket Australia’s got to adapt to that as well.”Have we discussed multiple year contracts? I’m sure our high performance people will be looking at that, and something for them to come back to the board with their recommendations. For Andrew I think it’s a great opportunity, as a world class coach, I know he’s highly sought after around the world. The fact we’ve got him as our assistant coach speaks volumes for Cricket Victoria for producing a great coach but also to Andrew for becoming one of the best young coaches in the world.”Pat Cummins, this year’s No. 1 ranked CA contracted player, has been a vocal advocate of multi-year deals for the past two years, noting the physical toll on the bodies of fast bowlers in particular that often preclude them from stretching their physiques in search of greater financial returns in the IPL and elsewhere.”No it didn’t happen this year. They just said they weren’t offering anyone longer term this year,” Cummins told this week. “I hope [it changes in the future]. You can only ask the question and see what comes of it. Like anyone in your job, you want more than 12 months security always.”Pat Cummins claims another scalp•Getty Images

The issue is a little more complicated than the players wanting more security and the board wishing only to hand out contractual rewards on a strict year-on-year performance basis. The possibility of players remaining under contract to CA at the end of an MoU period would have been an awkward scenario for the Australian Cricketers Association during the 2017-18 pay dispute, when all players falling out of contract at once played into the union’s hands.Since the Argus review, the offer of multi-year deals to players has become perceived as being used only as a defensive move by CA, as was the case when the former team performance manager Pat Howard offered three-year deals to Steven Smith, David Warner, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Cummins as the pay dispute was heating up. A different landscape prevailed in the early 2000s, when the likes of Ricky Ponting, Matthew Hayden and Adam Gilchrist enjoyed greater certainty in return for compelling and consistent performances as the world’s top team.Peter Siddle, the most experienced Australian pace bowler currently in national contention, noted that he was given a two-year deal at the outset of his international career in 2008, saying that players would be happy in many cases to enjoy extra financial security in exchange for foregoing additional domestic T20 events overseas.”We used to have them. I remember my first contract I signed a long time ago, about 11 years ago now, I signed a multi-year deal then,” Siddle said. “It was only two years but it did give you at least that second-year sort of guarantee. I think with certain players you could probably look at it. It’s definitely something the ACA and Cricket Australia can look to maybe improve on over the coming years because there are players like, especially someone like Patty [James Pattinson], who is in all formats, not just the one format player, you might want to lock him down.”It gives them the opportunity to keep him out of maybe tours outside of the country, whether it’s IPL or other T20 leagues around the world, where they can then control where he goes a bit more. But in saying that the player then wants to be reimbursed a little bit for what he may be missing out on. It is definitely that’s something worth discussing. Maybe it’s not for everyone. But that’s what it comes down to when discussing contracts and deals.”

Over two weeks of heavy rain in the city meant that the deciding T20I between the two teams was abandoned without even a toss

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Oct-2017The deciding T20I between Australia and India in Hyderabad was abandoned as a result of a wet outfield. Over two weeks of heavy rain leading up to the match meant the ground had taken in a lot of water. And even though there was at least two hours of clear weather before the first ball was due, the groundstaff were unable to make good enough progress for the game to begin.In fact, when the umpires went out for their inspection they found that some patches of turf were so soggy that large divots were created when they dug their heels in. It was reported that the pitch, the square and even the bowler’s run-ups were relatively fine but certain areas beyond the 30-yard circle were unsafe. As a result, play was called off at approximately 8.30 pm and the series ended with a 1-1 scoreline.”We are all very upset,” a member of the groundstaff said. “It has been raining for 21 days in a row now. There is no way we can fight against nature or God.” According to sources, pedestal fans had been used on the eve of the match to dry the outfield.While the official did not want to comment on the drainage facilities in the ground, there are murmurs about the fact that there are only enough covers to protect the square and that the majority of the ground ends up unguarded in the event of rain.