IPL commitments could affect tour

10:36am Wednesday 9th July 2008

Several Sri Lanka cricketers could boycott next year's tour of England due to Indian Premier League commitments.

On Tuesday, the England and Wales Cricket Board announced Sri Lanka would play two Tests and three one-day internationals in April and May next year, plugging a gap in the calendar caused by the cancellation of England's series against Zimbabwe.

The dates, however, clash with the second edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) which is scheduled to be held between April 10 and May 29.

Several Sri Lankan cricketers, including captain Mahela Jayawardena, Kumar Sangakkara, Chaminda Vaas, Muttiah Muralitharan, Ajantha Mendis and Sanath Jayasuriya, are contracted with IPL teams.

England, however, would not be affected as none of their players, with the exception of Dimitri Mascarenhas, have links with the IPL.

Sri Lanka's cricketers are already unhappy with the way the game is administered by the Sri Lanka Cricket interim committee, chaired by former skipper Arjuna Ranatunga.

The biggest sticking point has been the awarding of annual contracts to players and the issue of salaries with none of the present members of the Sri Lanka team have signed contracts and hence have no obligation to play.

According to regulations, annual contracts should have been signed by March 31, but three months have gone by with no progress.

The interim committee, however, insists there is no cause for panic as the contracts issue will be sorted out next week, while the Sri Lanka Cricketers Association (SLCA), which represents the players, hopes to sort out the issue.

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