Looks like the ECB are going to set up their own Champs Lge

The announcement, expected imminently, represents a triumph for the ECB who have seemingly outflanked the Indian board, who had originally proposed the tournament. The ECB put forward an alternative tournament earlier this month and have won the backing of Australia and South Africa, who became exasperated by India's demands.

David Collier, the ECB chief executive, was in the Middle East last week to meet a businessman interested in bankrolling a tournament with a £2.5million prize fund that is expected to take place in Abu Dhabi from Sept 30-Oct 6. "Talks are at an advanced stage," an ECB source said.

The finalists from tomorrow's last day of the Twenty20 Cup – Kent, Essex, Durham and Middlesex are the four teams taking part –will qualify for the tournament, which will also include teams from Australia and South Africa, with the participation of a Stanford All Stars franchise a possibility.

Links between the ECB and Sir Allen Stanford will be strengthened today with the announcement that the winners of the Twenty20 Cup will be invited to play in a lucrative showdown with Trinidad & Tobago, the holders of the Stanford 20/20, as a precursor to England's £10 million winner-takes-all match in Antigua on November 1.

The move provides yet more evidence of the ECB aligning themselves with the Texan billionaire and further away from the Indian board. An invitation to the Champions League will be sent to the finalists of the Indian Premier League, Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Super Kings, but sources in India suggest it will be thrown in the bin.

It remains to be seen if a boycott by Indian sides would hit television revenue. Giles Clarke, the chairman of the ECB, has worked hard to build relations with boards in Pakistan and Sri Lanka so there are alternatives capable of opening up the sub-continent market if Indian teams are absent.

Lalit Modi, the commissioner of the IPL, is understood to have told shareholders yesterday that his version of the Champions League had been scrapped.

The Indian board's aggressive insistence that the franchises would have first choice on players appearing in the Champions League alienated South Africa and Australia, and talks eventually broke down over Indian demands for a 50 per cent stake in the tournament, plus the power of veto. Under the ECB's plan each nation will have an equal share.

Big_Bad_Bob wrote:Excellent.

I felt and suggested that this was on the cards once Modi started being an utter arsewipe on the CL issue.

to him.

Although details have yet to be finalised, David Collier, chief executive of the England and Wales Cricket Board, said he was confident there would be no clash and that the Champions League would still go ahead.

"We've had discussions during the week, I think it's well known there are some differences about rules and regulations which still have to be ironed out," he said.

"But certainly, we are hoping for two days in the sun, not just one.

"This (Stanford) game is obviously a great game for the counties to go to, but we're also hoping they will be representing us in the Champions League as well."

JKLever wrote:And the ECB have announced the 'Stanford Super Series' as well...

Talk about overkill

Stanford Super Series schedule:

25 Oct Stanford Super Stars v Trinidad & Tobago
26 Oct England v Twenty20 Champions
27 Oct Trinidad & Tobago v Twenty20 champions
28 Oct England v Trinidad & Tobago
29 Oct Stanford Super Stars v Twenty20 champions
30 Oct Rest day
31 Oct Legends Beach Cricket match
1 Nov Stanford Super Stars v England

vilkrang wrote:Was cricket really in such a bad state that all this crap was needed?