Counties seek compensation to release players for IPL

English players might have to pay from their pockets to their respective counties, who are demanding compensation to make up for their absence.

Lucrative offers from cash-rich IPL franchises may not swell the coffers of England captain Kevin Pietersen and all-rounder Andrew Flintoff as the players would have to pay from their pockets to their respective counties, who are demanding compensation to make up for their absence.

Though IPL doesn8217;t have any provision to pay compensation by a franchise for buying a player, Hampshire and Lancashire have made it clear that the players or the franchise will have to pay them.

8220;Some people think that because a player has a central contract the county doesn8217;t have anything to do with him any more. The England management might like to think that is the case. But it8217;s not,8221; said Rod Bransgrove, Chairman of Hampshire, for which Pietersen plays.

8220;England are entitled to play Kevin and they are entitled to rest him. But they can8217;t permit him to play for another team in the course of the domestic cricket season. Any centrally contracted player must have permission from his county if he intends to play in the IPL. And in Kevin8217;s case that8217;s Hampshire,8221; he was quoted as saying by 8216;The Guardian8217;.

8220;I8217;m prepared to negotiate but if any IPL team wants Kevin to play for them in the course of the county season the franchise concerned would have to reach an agreement with us,8221; he added.

Pietersen has an offer of USD 1.7 million on the table and looks certain to play in the second season of IPL. Lancashire8217;s Chief Executive Jim Cumbes said, 8220;The last thing we want to do is stop Freddie making money in the IPL. Good luck to him. But we will be seeking compensation if he does play. The county season will be underway by then.8221;

8220;No figure has been mentioned. It might be 10 per cent of his contract. And we would prefer it to come from the franchise, rather than the player8217;s pocket.8221;

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Meanwhile, Professional Cricketers8217; Association Chief Executive Sean Morris said a plan in which a franchise and a player sharing the amount of compensation might be worked out.

8220;IPL discussions have been placed on hold recently because of the situation in India. But we have been negotiating about this. And it could be that the money that is paid to the counties could come from both the player and the franchise.8221;