Collier: Champs League will go ahead

8:34pm Friday 25th July 2008

England and Wales Cricket Board chief executive David Collier is confident the troubled Twenty20 Champions League will go ahead as planned - providing all parties can agree on "three or four points".

It has been suggested the lucrative tournament - featuring the top teams from domestic competitions in England, South Africa, Australia and India - could be called off after officials failed to reach agreement on the issue of players involved in the rebel, non-ICC-sanctioned Indian Cricket League.

But, speaking the day before the Twenty20 Cup finals day at the Rose Bowl, when two teams will theoretically earn places in the Champions League, Collier insists a compromise can be found. He said: "We are confident the Champions' League will go ahead and we have had discussions in the week."

The powerful Board of Control for Cricket in India, who run the rival Indian Premier League, are determined not only to ban any players who featured in the ICL from the Champions League, but also any teams for whom they have since signed.

Talks on the issue hit a roadblock as 15 of England's 18 county teams have links to players who had participated in the inaugural ICL.

Collier continued: "There are a number of rules and regulations that need to be ironed out and there are three or four points we still have concerns over.

"In an ideal world, all four countries will participate and the deal is on the table.

"Any tournament has to have the top nations involved. It seems we will have an initial year where it is a big issue."

IPL commissioner Lalit Modi also rubbished reports suggesting plans for the £2.5million Champions League tournament had been shelved.

"There is no plan to shelve the Champions League. We will decide on the dates of the Champions League after the Champions Trophy," he said.

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