Champions League T20 Cricket blog

ECB and BCCI move closer on Champions League

Wednesday, December 31, 2008

England's decision to send its team back to India barely two weeks after the terror attacks in Mumbai has led to a significant thaw in ties between the two national boards. Talks are still at a delicate stage but the BCCI, it is learnt, is now more open to accommodating the ECB in its Champions Twenty20 League blueprint, possibly in the way of one more team, a voice in its management and a host status in the future. The two boards are also known to be formalising a five-Test 'icon' status series, on the lines of the Ashes.

Via Cricinfo

Middlesex pin twenty20 cricket hopes on wildcard entry

Thursday, December 18, 2008

Middlesex will consider lobbying Champions League Twenty20 organisers for a wildcard for the 2009 tournament, writes Jon Batham. Seaxes chief executive Vinny Codrington and his team were devastated when organisers decided there wasn't a sufficient window of opportunity to restage the 2008 tournament, originally postponed following the terrorist attacks in Mumbai earlier this month.

Via HC

Dolphins consider CL compensation

The Nashua Dolphins are considering requesting compensation from Cricket South Africa (CSA) because of the recent cancellation of this year’s Champions League Twenty20.

Via SuperSport

Champions League: A jinxed tournament

Sunday, December 14, 2008

Ever since the Champions League tournament was conceived the tournament has been jinxed. Even before all the plans fell into place, there were disagreements between the three founder members of the tournament — the cricket boards of Australia, England and India — first over revenue sharing agreement for the tournament, and then over the appearance of players who had allegiances with the rebel Indian Cricket League.

Via TheNews.PK

States push for Champions League compensation

Saturday, December 13, 2008

Western Australia and Victoria believe they have missed out on a minimum of A$600,000 and will ask Cricket Australia for compensation after being told they must requalify for the postponed Champions League Twenty20. Tournament officials decided on Friday to stage the event, which was cancelled due to the Mumbai terrorist attacks, in India next October.

Via Cricinfo

Twenty20 cancellation a $2m blow for WA cricket

West Australian cricket could have lost as much as $2 million by the decision overnight to cancel this years Champions League Twenty20 competition following the terrorist attacks in Mumbai.

Via WAToday

October date for Champions League

Friday, December 12, 2008

THE inaugural Twenty20 Champions League has been cancelled. Organisers have hinted the tournament, to be played in October next year, may be expanded beyond eight teams.

Via SMH

Western Australia, Victoria miss out as Champions League Twenty20 cancelled

THE Mumbai terror attacks have robbed Western Australia and Victoria of the chance to play in the inaugural Champions League Twenty20 tournament.

A teleconference involving Australian, South African and Indian cricket board officials has led to a decision to cancel the first Champions League event, which was to be held in India at the start of December.

Via FoxSports

Twenty20 Cancellation Disappoints Middlesex

The likes of Middlesex captain Shaun Udal and chief executive Vinny Codrington are therefore having to come to terms with the disappointment, on the assumption they will have to re-qualify if they are to eventually take part in a competition which it is now hoped will be held next autumn.

Via YahooSport

Champions League's launch deferred to 2009

"The inaugural edition of the Champions League Twenty20 will now be held in India in October 2009," Modi said in a statement. "(We) took this collective decision after taking into account all aspects."

Via IHT

Champions League T20 called off for now

The Governing Council of the Champions League Twenty20 has decided that the inaugural edition of the Champions League Twenty20 will now be played in India in October 2009. The event scheduled for 2008 has been cancelled, according to a statement released by Indian Premier League.

Via NDTV

Champions League window remains elusive

Top officials associated with the Champions Twenty20 League will discuss on Friday whether the postponed tournament can be held in early 2009, but the prospects of the inaugural edition being squeezed in a packed international schedule "look dim".

Via Cricinfo

Champions League dates to be decided on Friday

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

With difficulties in finding a window for the postponed Champions League, the cricket officials from India, Australia and South Africa have decided to hold a telephonic conference on Friday to sort out a date for the Twenty20 tournament.

Via NDTV

ESPN's Champions League contract may start next year

Sunday, December 7, 2008

Sports broadcaster ESPN Star Sports, the telecast rights holder for the Champions League’s inaugural Twenty20 club-cricket tournament, which was postponed in the aftermath of terror attacks in Mumbai, may have the option to treat the next ICC Champions League tournament in 2009 as the first event of the 10-year annual club-cricket championship.

Via BS

Champions League likely to be postponed for one year

Saturday, December 6, 2008

The inaugural cricket Champions League Twenty20 tournament has become a question mark and it may be postponed till the end of the next year due to busy international cricket calendar.

A British magazine quoted sources of the Champions League organizing committee as saying that the organizers had not yet decided when to hold the inaugural edition of the tournament.

Via GeoSuper

Champions League T20 organisers to meet on Dec 8 for new dates

Saturday, November 29, 2008

The organisers of the postponed Champions Twenty20 League will meet on December 8 to see if they can reschedule the tournament early next year, according to the spokesman of the US $6 million tournament.

Via ExpressCricket

Champions League faces rescheduling headache

Friday, November 28, 2008

A spokesperson for Cricket Australia, the founding members of the league along with the BCCI and Cricket South Africa, said it would be tough to include the tournament in the already-cramped schedule for 2009.

Via Cricinfo

Champions League T20 postponed

Thursday, November 27, 2008

The inaugural Champions League Twenty20, which was scheduled to begin in Mumbai on December 3, has been postponed in the wake of Wednesday's terrorist strikes in the city. The tournament is likely to be held in India early next year, Lalit Modi told Cricinfo.

Via Cricinfo

Ponting wants Champions League T20 moved out of India

Australian captain Ricky Ponting has expressed concerns at the terror attacks in Mumbai, which has left over 90 people dead and over a 120 people injured, and has called for the Champions League Twenty20 competition to be moved out of India.

Via CricketNirvana

Terror attacks puts T20 Champions League in doubt

The terror attacks at Mumbai last night have put a question mark over the Twenty20 Champions League with Middlesex delaying their flight to the country and Cricket Australia suspending all travel to India even as tournament organisers shifted three matches from Mumbai to Bangalore.

Via PTI

Australians, English delay cricket trips to India

Australian and English cricket clubs postponed leaving for India for next week's Champions Twenty20 League because of the terrorist attacks in Mumbai. Terrorists killed at least 78 people, wounded at least 200 and took Westerners hostage in attacks on Thursday across Mumbai, where the tournament was to start. One of the luxury hotels in flames, the Taj Mahal, was where English side Middlesex planned to stay.

Via IHT

Cricket Australia suspends Mumbai travel, Warne stranded

Shane Warne is considering whether it is safe to continue his journey to India after the Mumbai terrorist attacks moved Cricket Australia to suspend all travel to the country.

Via SMH

Champions League matches moved from Mumbai

A series of terrorist strikes in Mumbai on Wednesday night which left 80 dead and 250 injured has put a major question mark over the fate of the Champions Twenty20 League, scheduled to begin in the city next week, and cast a serious doubt over the second Test between India and England next month.

Via CricInfo

ATN acquires long-term Canadian rights for Champions Twenty 20 Cricket Tournament

Asian Television Network International Limited (ATN) (TSX-SAT), Canada's pioneer South Asian Broadcaster and Canada's largest Distributor of World Class Cricket, announced today that it has secured the exclusive Canadian broadcast rights for the Champions League Twenty20 Tournaments cricket series for the next three years. The 2008 series will be shown live and rebroadcast on ATN's CBN and ATN-Cricket Plus in Canada.

Via CNW

Champions League Twenty20 Anthem

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Anthem duration: 1 min

Anthem duration: 30 secs

Somehow feel it is not upto ARR class. What say?

Luke Ronchi blasts back to form for Warriors

Good news for Rambal warriors as LUKE Ronchi smashed his highest score of the season to lift Western Australia to a competitive 6-263 against Victoria in their Ford Ranger Cup clash at the WACA Ground.

Via FoxSports

Chennai Super Kings vs Rajasthan Royals

Malik’s Stallions eye Champions League crown

Shoaib Malik says that his team will play its first two games of the tournament in Bangalore, which he believed is a good omen. “We have trained very hard for the Champions League and hopefully the team will do well in India.”

Via ThaiIndian

Will Bangalore be LUCKY for Stallions?

Hussey's absence won't affect us: Warriors

Rambal Warriors might be without Michael Hussey in the Champions League, but team owner feels his absence would not hamper their chances in the showbiz Twenty20 tournament.

Via MSN

Sialkot Stallions announce squad for Champions League T20

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Squad
Shoaib Malik (Captain),Abdul Rehman, Adeel Malik, Ali Khan, Bilal Hussain, Faisal Naveed, Kashif Raza, Kamran Younas, Mansoor Amjad, Muhammad Ayub Muhammad Ali, N. Qazi, Qaisar Abbas,Sarfraz Ahmad, Shakeel Ansar.

Via ThaiIndian

Chennai Super Kings first to have a fan club

Chennai Super Kings, the Indian Premier League side which qualified for next month's Champions League Twenty20, today became the first team in the cricketing world to have its 'Fan club'.

Via ChennaiOnline

I thought Rajasthan Royals were the first to have fanclub...

Champions League Twenty20: Less takers for the tournament?

The Indian media and entertainment industry is in turmoil amid reports that the ESPN Software India, has been hit hard by the global financial crisis and that the sponsorship for Champions League T20 tournament has no takers.

Via TelevisionPoint

Hayden cleared to play for Chennai

Matthew Hayden has been cleared by Cricket Australia to play for Chennai Super Kings in next month's Champions League Twenty20 starting December 3, according to coach Tim Nielsen.

Via Rediff

Royals, Super Kings hold edge in Champions League: Gibbs

Monday, November 24, 2008

All set to begin a new innings as a commentator, maverick South African batsman Herschelle Gibbs said barring miracles, either Rajasthan Royals or Chennai Super Kings would clinch next month's Champions League Twenty20.

Via PTI

Dhoni is super king of Indian cricket

The Indian Premier League franchisee Chennai Super Kings launched their "Kings Club" here as part of their brand-building exercise to attract committed loyalty from the team's supporters.

Via Hindu

Udal happy being underdogs

Middlesex skipper Shaun Udal is comfortable with his side being the underdogs, and he says they can spring another shock as they head out for the inaugural Twenty20 Champions League.

Via SkySports

ADD announces broadcast rights partnership for Champion's League Twenty20 with ESPN STAR Sports

ESPN STAR Sports (ESS) announced today its broadcast rights partnership with Arab Digital Distribution (ADD), the largest pay TV platform management company in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region for the year's most anticipated cricket event - Champions League Twenty 20. The multi-platform distribution deal covers medium of television, internet and mobile thus promising to extend the popularity and reach of this new and exciting tournament.

Via Zawya

Champions League T20: Brands associate with Chennai Super Kings

Rakesh Singh, vice-president, marketing, India Cements says

We have already tied up with five leading brands - Peter England, Reebok, Aircel, Café Coffee Day and Camlin, and are in talks with at least three others including a multi national bank for launching a cobranded credit card and a greetings cards chain for bringing out a range of products including cards, soft toys and calendars

Via TelevisionPoint

Murali available for CL T20

Muttiah Muralitharan will make it to the Champions League T20. After all the recent exchanges between the Indian Board and Cricket Sri Lanka officials, there were doubts over the availability of the ace spinner for the football style league tournament.

Via DNA

No conflict between club, country: Kartik

Sunday, November 23, 2008

Murali Kartik doesn’t like the hype surrounding his playing for Middlesex in the upcoming Champions League T20. The left-arm spinner, who still nurses hopes of playing for India, believes that a professional player must give his best for any team that he represents and not be bothered by talks of ‘country versus club’ conflict.

Read more

Middlesex squad for Champions League Twenty20

Squad

Shaun Udal (Captain), Gareth Berg, Steven Finn, Billy Godleman, Tyron Henderson, Ed Joyce, Murali Kartik, Dawid Malan, Eoin Morgan, Tim Murtagh, David Nash, Alan Richardson, Ben Scott, Owais Shah, Andrew Strauss

Middlesex have named Strauss and Shah in the squad.

Titans Harris out of Champions League Twenty20

Saturday, November 22, 2008

Titans spinner Paul Harris will miss December's Champions League Twenty20 after fracturing his left thumb.

Via ESPNSTAR

Taufel, Baxter to officiate in Champions League T20 final

Top ICC Elite Panel umpires Simon Taufel of Australia and New Zealand's Gary Baxter will officiate in the final of the Champions League Twenty20 to be played at Chennai's M Chidambaram Stadium on December 10.

Via The Hindu

Joyce aims to go out on a high

Batsman Ed Joyce is determined to sign off his Middlesex career on a high by winning the inaugural Champions League Twenty20 in India next month.

Via PressAssociation

Teams hope to adapt to frenetic Champions League

Western Australia coach Tom Moody on Friday joined the chorus against the boxed-in, frenetic scheduling of the much-anticipated inaugural Champions League, saying he was apprehensive about his team shifting gears from the four-day format to Twenty20 in such haste.

Via TOI

Economic slowdown hits first T20 Champions League

ESPN Star Sports (ESS), which bought broadcast and ground rights of the series from Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for $975 million, is now facing problems in getting sponsors for the ground rights and has been forced to slash advertising rates, as per media and advertising sources.

Via ET

Middlesex leave for Mumbai early for chance of Twenty20 Champions League success

The Middlesex team are funding out of their own pockets for two extra days of training and time to acclimatise to alien conditions on the sub-continent. They fly to Mumbai next Thursday, two days before the Champions League organisers are willing to pick up the tab for their hotel bills and expenses.

Via Telegraph

Ten scores again with cricket coup

Friday, November 21, 2008

TEN Network has secured the Australian rights to screen next month's lucrative Champions League Twenty20 tournament in India, as part of an assault on the Nine Network's dominance of cricket.

Via The Australian

Champions League T20 with Rahman’s touch

Thursday, November 20, 2008

The “Mozart from Madras”, for the first time ever in his musical career, has composed an anthem for the cricket tournament eagerly awaited, the Champions League Twenty 20.

Via ZeeNews

Shah may still join Middlesex

Middlesex plan to name star Twenty20 batsman Owais Shah in their squad for their Champions League adventure in India.

Via Mirror

Akram certain of CL T20 success

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Wasim Akram has no doubt that the upcoming CL T20 will be a bigger success than the inaugural edition of the IPL.

Read more

CL T20 will be a great hit: Marcus North

Marcus North, skipper of Western Australia Warriors is certain that the Champions League Twenty20 will be a big hit.

Via ESPNSTAR

Cartier to sculpt trophy for Champions League Twenty20

The Twenty20 Champions League have commissioned world renowned French jeweller and luxury brand - Cartier, to sculpt Winners Trophy to be presented after final on December 10 in Mumbai.

Via ExpressCricket

Chennai Super Kings eye Champions League semis

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

The Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings first job will be to reach the semi-finals of the Twenty 20 Champions League, said the squad's director cricket operations, VB Chandrasekar.

Via TOI

Modi calms England Test concerns

Indian board chief Lalit Modi has assured England that their first Test against India will not be moved to accommodate the Champions League final.

Via BBC

ESPN STAR Sports awarded Global Television Production Rights for Champions League T20

ESPN STAR Sports (ESS), Asia’s leading Sports Broadcaster, has been appointed the preferred bidder as the long-term global television production partner for the Champions League 2020 tournament by Champions League 2020.

Via BusinessWire

ESS to telecast Champions League T20 in HD

ESS will telecast the tournament in High Definition (HD) format, making it the first HD telecast for any sporting event in the Indian subcontinent.

Via IndianTelevision

Hayden back in Third World for Champions League T20

Need to see how Indian crowds react to Hayden who is a part of Chennai Super Kings squad in the Champions League Twenty20. Hayden had termed India as a "third world" nation. Will Haydos apologize for his comments?

Innovative camera angles beckon Champions League T20

ESPNSTAR channel will use of as many as 34 cameras at each venue to cover all the matches -- the highest number of cameras used to cover any multi venue cricket tournament to date.

It will include angles like aerial views with Fly cameras, a boundary side field camera to showcase fielding and a new mid-wicket camera position to highlight running between the wickets that will deliver another new viewing dimension to viewers.

Via PTI

Oram Out Of Champions League Twenty20

The Chennai Super Kings have not named injured New Zealand all-rounder Jacob Oram in their squad for next month's Champions League Twenty20 tournament.

Via Cricket365

England Test delayed 24hrs

ENGLAND’S First Test against India has been put back 24 hours. It has been rescheduled for December 12 so that home skipper Mahendra Dhoni can compete in the new Champions League.

Via TheSun

Chennai Super Kings announce the squad for Champions League

Squad
M.S. Dhoni (captain), M. Hayden, M. Hussey, S. Raina, A. Morkel, S. Badrinath, C. Kapugedara, K.B. Arun Karthik, P. Patel, R. Ashwin, M. Muralitharan, M. Ntini, L. Balaji, M. Gony, S. Tyagi.

Coach: S. Fleming.

CSK is going with all international players, all guns blazing to be the Champion of Champions

Source: The HindU

BCCI wants Test opener to be put off by a day

Monday, November 17, 2008

The Indian cricket board wants the first Test against England at Ahmedabad put off by a day to allow Mahendra Singh Dhoni play in the Champions T20 League final two days prior to it in case his team Chennai Super Kings make it to the title-contest.

Via PTI

Nashua Dolphins announce Champions League T20 squad

Thursday, November 13, 2008

Squad
Ahmed Amla (Captain), Imraan Khan, Hashim Amla, Jon Kent, Grant Rowley, Martin Bekker, Pierre de Bruyn, Daryn Smit, Johann Louw, Morne van Vuuren, Quinton Friend, Alfonso Thomas, Saidi Mlongo, Yusuf Abdullah and David Miller.

The team leaves for India on Sat 29 November, and their first round robin encounter will be against the Rajashan Royals on Wed 3 December.

Via Dolphins Cricket

Albie Morkel to represent Chennai

Albie Morkel will represent his IPL franchise, the Chennai Super Kings, in the Champions League instead of his South African domestic side the Titans.

Via Cricinfo

2008 Champions League Twenty20 squads

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Sialkot Stallions
Shoaib Malik (Captain),Abdul Rehman, Adeel Malik, Ali Khan, Bilal Hussain, Faisal Naveed, Kashif Raza, Kamran Younas, Mansoor Amjad, Muhammad Ayub Muhammad Ali, N. Qazi, Qaisar Abbas,Sarfraz Ahmad, Shakeel Ansar.

Middlesex Crusaders
Shaun Udal (Captain), Gareth Berg, Steven Finn, Billy Godleman, Tyron Henderson, Ed Joyce, Murali Kartik, Dawid Malan, Eoin Morgan, Tim Murtagh, David Nash, Alan Richardson, Ben Scott, Owais Shah, Andrew Strauss

Pretoria Titans
Pierre Joubert (captain), Farhaan Behardien, Gulam Bodi, AB de Villiers, Francois du Plessis, Paul Harris, Heino Kuhn (wk), Ethy Mbhalati, Morne Morkel, Aaron Phangiso, Dale Steyn, Imran Tahir, Roelof van der Merwe, Martin van Jaarsveld, Basheeru-Deen Walters (wk)

Chennai Super Kings
M.S. Dhoni (captain), M. Hayden, M. Hussey, S. Raina, A. Morkel, S. Badrinath, C. Kapugedara, K.B. Arun Karthik, P. Patel, R. Ashwin, M. Muralitharan, M. Ntini, L. Balaji, M. Gony, S. Tyagi. Coach: S. Fleming.

Nashua Dolphins
Ahmed Amla (Captain), Imraan Khan, Hashim Amla, Jon Kent, Grant Rowley, Martin Bekker, Pierre de Bruyn, Daryn Smit, Johann Louw, Morne van Vuuren, Quinton Friend, Alfonso Thomas, Saidi Mlongo, Yusuf Abdullah and David Miller.

Victorian Bushrangers
Cameron White (captain), Aiden Blizzard, Adam Crosthwaite, Aaron Finch, Shane Harwood, John Hastings, Brad Hodge, David Hussey, Andrew McDonald, Clinton McKay, Dirk Nannes, Darren Pattinson, Robert Quiney, Peter Siddle, Matthew Wade.

Western Australian Rambal Warriors
Marcus North (capt.), David Bandy, Arron Crawford, Liam Davis, Brett Dorey, Theo Doropoulos, Ben Edmondson, Aaron Heal, Matt Johnston, Trent Kelly, Steve Magoffin, Shaun Marsh, Luke Pomersbach, Luke Ronchi, Adam Voges.

Champions League Twenty20 promo by ESPN Star sports

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Check the promo video of Champions League T20 from Youtube. Hindi Version of the promo. Seems too TRANSFORMERISH! Your thoughts?

New Zealand umpire appointed to Champions League

New Zealand umpire Gary Baxter will stand in six games during the inaugural Champions League Twenty20 tournament in India during December.

Via 3News

Betting tips out for Champions League Twenty20

Happen to stumble upon 'Betting Choice' website which has put some tips for betting for the upcoming inaugural Champions league T20. The recommendations are

1. Back Rajasthan Royals to win
2. Back Shaun Marsh to score the most runs if he plays
3. Back Dolphins Yusuf Abdullah for best bowling strike rate

Interesting!

Read more

Champions League Twenty20 promo videos

Monday, November 10, 2008

ESPN Starsports who has bagged the Televison rights for the Champions League T20 has put up videos of Champions league T20 promos. Check it out...

View CLT20 revolution

View CLT20 Logomation

View Champions League

ESPN ad blitz to fire up T20 Champions League

Amidst the ongoing bearish sentiments, ESPN Star Sports (ESS), which paid a steep $975 million for acquiring the upcoming T20 Champions League cricket tournament for 10 years, is targeting revenues of about Rs 200 crore from ground rights and on-air ad sales though media buyers say the target is ambitious in the current scenario. ESS is spending Rs 50 crore on pre-event marketing and plans to tie up with 250 cinema theatres for cross-marketing the event and Bollywood production houses for in-film tie-ups.

Via ET

Fleming wants a role of player-cum-coach

Fleming, who won't be taking part in the inaugural Twenty20 Champions League for IPL runners-up Chennai Super Kings, hopes he can become a player-coach at the second edition of the IPL.

Via TOI

Cricket faces advertising spend cuts

Cricket-led advertising on sports channels will take a hit as advertisers are planning to pull back Rs 300-350 crore, or about 20-24 per cent of their budget for sports, in 2008-09. This is likely to hit the forthcoming India-England one-day series, to be telecast on Neo Cricket, and Champions League, which will be telecast on ESPN & Star Sports, sources say.

Via BS

Lalit Modi - About Champions League Twenty20

Sunday, November 9, 2008

Found this video on YouTube

Aaron Finch to compete in Champions League Twenty20

Saturday, November 8, 2008

HARD-hitting Geelong batsman Aaron Finch has taken the first steps toward a potential international cricket career after being selected to represent Victoria in the Twenty20 Champions League in India.

Via Geelong

Victoria Bushrangers confident about Champions League

Friday, November 7, 2008

Victoria are confident they can take their peerless Twenty20 cricket form to the world stage when they compete in the inaugural Champions League in India next month. The Bushrangers have won all three Australian domestic Twenty20 titles and have won 12 of their 13 matches played, including last summer's final against Western Australia in Perth.

Via TheAge

Victorian Bushrangers announce Champions League squad

The Victorian Bushrangers have announced the squad of 15 that will vie for the title in the inaugural Champions League Twenty20 tournament that gets underway in India next month.

Victorian Bushrangers Champions League Twenty20 squad:
Cameron White (captain), Aiden Blizzard, Adam Crosthwaite, Aaron Finch, Shane Harwood, John Hastings, Brad Hodge, David Hussey, Andrew McDonald, Clinton McKay, Dirk Nannes, Darren Pattinson, Robert Quiney, Peter Siddle, Matthew Wade.

Via SportsAustralia

End of the cricketing road for Gibbs?

Gibbs was omitted yesterday from the South African one-day side for breaking curfew. It’s not just Gibbs’s cricketing career that is in jeopardy, but also his debut as a member of TV channel ESPN’s commentary team. According to his father, Herman, Gibbs is contracted to commentate for ESPN next month during the Champions League cricket tournament in India.

Via TheWitness

ESS to give Champions T20 League a big marketing push

Thursday, November 6, 2008

ESPN Star Sports (ESS) is planning an extensive marketing campaign to create awareness. Targeting the family, the campaign will kick off later this week and cover print, television, radio, online and outdoors.

Via IndianTelevison

'We do feel penalised' - Middlesex chief

Vinny Codrington, Middlesex's chief executive, has said the county does "feel penalised" by rules that would prevent their leading players from taking part in the Champions Twenty20 League in India in December.

Via Cricinfo

Wessels denies he was sacked

Keppler Wessels, who took the Chennai Super Kings to the final of the Indian Premier League earlier this year, said he had opted not to renew his one-year contract.

Via HeraldOnline

ECB refuses Owais Shah and Andrew Strauss participation in Champions League Twenty20

England have refused Owais Shah and Andrew Strauss permission to break off from the England tour to play for their county next month. Middlesex's reserves have been further weakened by the organisers deciding they can only field players who were on the club's books when they qualified for the Champions League by winning the Twenty20 Cup in July.

Via Telegraph

Tom Moody banks on his players’ India experience

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Rambal Warriors coach Tom Moody feels the experience of playing in India will help his players in the Twenty20 Champions League, starting Dec 3.

Via SindhToday

Middlesex seek England pair after Champions League crackdown

Middlesex will renew their appeal to the England and Wales Cricket Board to release Owais Shah and Andrew Strauss for their Champions League challenge in India next month after receiving shock confirmation yesterday that they could be without as many as five of their first-choice side.

Via Guardian

Stephen Fleming to coach Chennai Super Kings

In a surprising move, the Chennai IPL team has sacked Kepler Wessels as its coach and named former New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming in his place.

Via HT

Albie Morkel to play for Chennai Super Kings

Chennai Super Kings management is in no mood to let go of their prize catches recruited during the auction. After making sure Mike Hussey plays for Chennai, they have made sure that Albie Morkel, the all-rounder from South Africa will also play for chennai.

Via HT

Chennai pays Kings' ransom for Michael Hussey

WESTERN Australia has lost local hero Michael Hussey to an Indian side for December's Twenty20 clash, but is not complaining as it will receive $US200,000 ($298,000) compensation for the inconvenience and possibly stands to win $US3m.

Via TheAustralian

Uneasy Hussey swept up in T20 revolution

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Australian batsman Mike Hussey is uneasy about being forced to choose between state and club after confirming he will turn out for the Chennai Super Kings rather than Western Australia in next month's inaugural Twenty20 Champions League.

Via WAToday

Joyce on his way to Sussex

Former Ireland cricketer Ed Joyce will leave Middlesex to join Sussex next season as he looks to revive his international career with England.The Bray native has agreed to stay at Middlesex until the end of the Champions League in India in December.

Via Irish Times

WA Rambal Warriors squad for Champions League Twenty20

Monday, November 3, 2008

WA, to be based in Bangalore, will play pool matches against Pakistan domestic champions Sialkot, who have won their past 18 Twenty20 matches, Natal Dolphins and Shane Warne’s Rajasthan Royals.

WA squad: Marcus North (capt.), David Bandy, Arron Crawford, Liam Davis, Brett Dorey, Theo Doropoulos, Ben Edmondson, Aaron Heal, Matt Johnston, Trent Kelly, Steve Magoffin, Shaun Marsh, Luke Pomersbach, Luke Ronchi, Adam Voges.

Via thewest

Mike Hussey chooses Chennai Super Kings over Rambal warriors

Michael Hussey has opted to play for Chennai Super Kings in the upcoming Champions League T20 to be held in India. WA batsman Liam Davis was named as his replacement in the WA squad that will try to conquer the 5 million dollar bounty in India.

Via TheWest

Middlesex Chief Hails Stanford Series

Middlesex chairman, Ian Lovett says "It has been excellent preparation for participation in the Champions League and I am sure that all our players will be doing their utmost in next summer's domestic T20 to ensure qualification for the next Stanford Super Series in 2009."

Via Cricket365

Which would be popular - Indian Premier League or Champions League?

Friday, October 31, 2008

I was wondering which would be a more popular T20 event... Is it going to be the Indian Premier League or the Champions League?

Both leagues feature International players, and the later ofcourse has some international teams also. Indian Premier League runs for a month or so whereas the Champions League runs for about 10 days. Your thoughts?

Twenty20 Champions Awards

Twenty20 Champions Awards - Awards for the best performances was announced during the ceremony to unveil champions league groups and fixtures.

1. Highest Individual Score(158 runs) - Brendon McCullum Kolkata - Knight Riders

2. Best Batting Average(Avg 68.44, 616 runs) - Shaun Marsh - Kings XI Punjab

3. Best Batting Strike Rate(SR 195.2, 326 runs) - Graham Napier - Essex Eagles

4. Best Bowling Figures In A Match (six for 14) - Sohail Tanvir - Rajasthan Royals

5. Best Bowling Economy(Economy 4.32, 31 overs) - Yusuf Abdullah - Nashua Dolphins

6. Best Bowling Strike Rate(Strike rate 9, 18 wickets) - Charl Langeveldt - Nashua Cobras

7. Best Bowling Strike Rate In An Innings (SR 1.6, 3 wkts) - Laxmi Ratan Shukla - Kolkata Knight Riders

8. Best Batting Strike Rate In An Innings (SR280.95, 59 runs) - Tyron Henderson - Middlesex Crusaders

SPECIAL TWENTY 20 CHAMPIONS AWARD

9. Sialkot Stallions : For Winning 16 Twenty20 Matches in a row

Source: BCCI.TV

Middlesex duo may miss India trip

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Middlesex may be forced to compete in December's Champions League without two of their recent acquisitions.Neil Dexter and Neil Carter joined the club to play in the Stanford Twenty20 matches in the Caribbean and the Champions League in India.

Via BBC

Lalit Modi, Sachin Tendulkar among 25 most powerful sports figures

Monday, October 27, 2008

After businessmen and richie-rich club members, it is the turn of cricket personalities from India to make the world rankings with star cricketer Sachin Tendulkar and Indian Premier League Commissioner Lalit Modi making it to a list of 25 most powerful global sports figures.

Via TOI

Shoaib Malik sends 'Beware' signal to fancied teams

Shoaib Malik is already sounding the alarm bells for the fancied teams in December’s Champions League. Malik, who led Sialkot Stallions to victory in the Pakistan T20 national championship earlier this month, says his "small-town lads" will be a "hungry lot."

Via ESS

NRI industrialist keen to buy Deccan Chargers

Saturday, October 25, 2008

NRI industrialist Vikas Rambal, who is sponsoring Champions League Twenty20 side Waca Warriors, has expressed interest in owning Indian Premier League (IPL) side Deccan Chargers.

Via ET

Cricketers, administrators hail Champions League T20

Friday, October 24, 2008

Champions League T20 tournament has already become a hit with cricket administrators and players all over the world giving a thumbs up to international cricket's first-ever franchise driven club level tournament.

Via MSN

ESS ropes in AR Rahman for official anthem of Champions League T20

ESPN Star Sports (ESS), the official broadcaster of Champions League Twenty20, has roped in AR Rahman to compose the official anthem of the league.

Via IndianTelevison

Tanvir banking on skipper for Champions League

Sohail Tanvir is still in awe of his Rajasthan Royals skipper Shane Warne and believes the charismatic Australian would once again lead the side with aplomb to win the Champions League later this year.

Via TOI

Hussey in dilemma over Champions League participation

Australian batsman Michael Hussey is clueless which team he would eventually represent in the Champions League later this year. "I don't know which team I would eventually represent in the Champions League," Hussey says.

Via Hindu

GCV awarded rights to manage and monetize official website of Champions League Twenty20

Live Current Media Inc, a media company built around content and commerce destinations, announced today that Global Cricket Ventures (“GCV”), a joint venture between Live Current and NetlinkBlue Holding, has reached an agreement to build, manage and monetize the official website of the Champions League Twenty20 (“Champions League”) for a period of 10 years.

Via Sys-con

Chennai to host Champions League final

Thursday, October 23, 2008

Australia's domestic Twenty20 winners Victoria will take on English champions Middlesex in the opening match of the inaugural Champions League on December 3 in Mumbai. The tournament final, though, will be played in Chennai on December 10, instead of Mumbai's Brabourne Stadium.

Via Cricinfo

Champions League fixtures and groups

Group A
Chennai Super Kings
Victoria Bushrangers
Pretoria Titans
Middlesex Crusaders

Group B
Sialkot Stallions
Rajasthan Royals
Western Rambal Warriors
Natal Dolphins.

Middlesex Crusaders will challenge Victoria Bushrangers in the opening match of the Champions League T-20 on December 3.

Dec 3rd - Middlesex Crusaders vs Victoria Bushrangers in Mumbai
Dec 3rd - Rajasthan Royals vs Nashua Dolphins in Bangalore
Dec 4th - Sialkot Stallions vs Western Rambal Warriors in Banglore
Dec 4th - Chennai Super Kings vs Victoria Bushrangers in Mumbai
Dec 5th - Middlesex Crusaders vs Pretoria Titans in Chennai
Dec 5th - Rajasthan Royals vs Sialkot Stallions in Mumbai
Dec 6th - Western Australia vs Natal Dolphins in Banglore
Dec 6th - Victoria Bushrangers vs Pretoria Titans in Chennai
Dec 6th - Chennai Super Kings vs Middlesex Crusaders in Chennai
Dec 7th - Natal Dolphins vs Sialkot Stallions in Bangalore
Dec 7th - Rajasthan Royals vs Western Rambal Warriors in Bangalore
Dec 7th - Chennai Super Kings vs Pretoria Titans in Chennai

Dec 8th - Semifinal 1 (Group B First placed team vs Group A Second placed team)
Dec 9th - Semifinal 2 (Group A First placed team vs Group B Second placed team)

Dec 10th - Final (Winner of Semifinal 1 vs Winner of Semifinal 2)

Source: ESPNSTAR

Western Rambal Warriors

Squad

Marcus North (capt.), David Bandy, Arron Crawford, Liam Davis, Brett Dorey, Theo Doropoulos, Ben Edmondson, Aaron Heal, Matt Johnston, Trent Kelly, Steve Magoffin, Shaun Marsh, Luke Pomersbach, Luke Ronchi, Adam Voges.

Victorian Bushrangers

Squad

Cameron White (captain), Aiden Blizzard, Adam Crosthwaite, Aaron Finch, Shane Harwood, John Hastings, Brad Hodge, David Hussey, Andrew McDonald, Clinton McKay, Dirk Nannes, Darren Pattinson, Robert Quiney, Peter Siddle, Matthew Wade.

Sailkot Stallions

Squad

Shoaib Malik (Captain),Abdul Rehman, Adeel Malik, Ali Khan, Bilal Hussain, Faisal Naveed, Kashif Raza, Kamran Younas, Mansoor Amjad, Muhammad Ayub Muhammad Ali, N. Qazi, Qaisar Abbas,Sarfraz Ahmad, Shakeel Ansar.

Rajasthan Royals

Squad

Shane Warne (C), Greame Smith, Shane Watson, Sohail Tanvir, Mohammed Kaif, Yusuf Pathan, Munaf Patel, Kamran Akmal, Younis Khan, D Mascarenhas, Morne Morkel, Darren Lehmann, Justin Langer, Swapnil Asnodkar, Siddharth Trivedi, Ravindra Jadeja, Mahesh Rawat, Niraj Patel, Dinesh Salunkhe, Taruwar Kohli, Pankaj Singh Anup Revandkar, Sumeet Khatri, Jaydev Shah, Aditya Angle, Parag More

Pretoria Titans

Squad

Pierre Joubert (captain), Farhaan Behardien, Gulam Bodi, AB de Villiers, Francois du Plessis, Paul Harris, Heino Kuhn (wk), Ethy Mbhalati, Morne Morkel, Aaron Phangiso, Dale Steyn, Imran Tahir, Roelof van der Merwe, Martin van Jaarsveld, Basheeru-Deen Walters (wk)

Indian money man backs Warriors

The Indian industrialist whose money helped bring Tom Moody to the WACA as coach will now send the team away to India to compete in the Champions League bearing his name - the Rambal Warriors.

Via WATODAY

WA to be known as Rambal Warriors in Champions League

Western Warriors coach Tom Moody has confirmed his side's participation in the Champions League Twenty20 tournament to be held in New Delhi later this year. And the team will be known as the Rambal Warriors under a new naming rights deal with existing major sponsor the Rambal Family, led by Indian indusrialist Vikas Rambal.

Via TheWest

Udal eyes Champions League T20 glory

Captain Shaun Udal insists Middlesex need to make the most of their Twenty20 title glory in Antigua and India this winter.

Via ESPNSTAR

ESS to air award function to felicitate T20 players

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

The highlight of the evening will be the draw of lots to form the two groups for the inaugural edition of the Champions League Twenty20 and the release of the tournament's fixtures. The Champions League Twenty20 will be held at three venues from 3-10 December.

ESS will offer live feeds simultaneously to all channels free of cost of the awards function. This will be aired on 23 October.

Via IndianTelevision

Champions League Twenty20 makes senior appointments

The governing council of the Champions League Twenty20 has made senior appointments. Sundar Raman is appointed as CEO while Dhiraj Malhotra will function as tournament director for the inaugural tournament to be held from 3 to 10 December.

Via IndianTelevision

Twenty20 tug-o-war for Albie

Albie Morkel is one of the most sought-after Twenty20 cricketers in the world, but his hard-hitting exploits have caused quite a dilemma for the all-rounder and his domestic team. The Titans will participate in the inaugural Twenty20 Champions League in India in December, having qualified with the Dolphins as the finalists of last season’s domestic Pro20 competition, but Morkel is likely to turn out for an opposing team from another nation.

Via Citizen

Uncertainty over Champions League venue in Mumbai

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

With two days to go for the official announcement of the Champions Twenty20 League fixtures, there`s still uncertainty surrounding the two venues which had been shortlisted to host matches in Mumbai.

Via ZeeCric

New door opens for cricket in the world

Sunday, October 19, 2008

Mr Modi, who is chairman and commissioner of the Indian Premier League and chairman of the Champions League said although rivalry and strong competition were essential to make the game exciting, it was important to maintain dignity and decorum.

Via BangkokPost

Brabourne to host Mumbai leg of Champions League

The Cricket Club of India's Brabourne Stadium, instead of the D.Y. Patil Stadium, will be the venue of the Mumbai-leg of the Champions League Twenty20 from December 3 to 10.

Via HT

New dates announced for 2nd edition of Champions League T20

Thursday, October 16, 2008

The second edition of the Champions League Twenty20 was earlier scheduled to be held from September 25 to October 10 next year but it will now be held from October 10 to 23 after the ICC rescheduled the Champions Trophy from September 24 to October 5, 2009. Twelve teams will take part in the competition.

Via PTI

‘Tremendous’ response for Champions League T20

Monday, October 13, 2008

The recent turmoil in global financial markets does not appear to have queered the pitch for advertisers to pitch in their lot for the Champions League T20 event that will kick off in India on December 3.

Via Sify

Sialkot Stallions to represent Pak in Champions T20 League

Friday, October 10, 2008

Sialkot Stallions will represent Pakistan in the inaugural edition of the Champions Twenty20 League in India in December after they beat favorites Karachi in the final of National Twenty20 Championship in Lahore.

Via TOI

BCCI changes Ranji schedule for Champions T20 League

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

The Ranji Trophy schedule for the 2008-09 season has been altered to prevent a clash of dates with the Champions Twenty20 League, which is scheduled from December 3 to 10. As per the revised fixtures, the third and fourth round matches of the Elite division have been advanced by a day from November 17 and 24 to November 16 and 23 respectively. The dates of the subsequent rounds have also been changed.

Via PTI

Harbhajan keen to play for Aussie sides in T20 Champions League

Saturday, October 4, 2008

Indian off spinner Harbhajan Singh is interested in playing for one of the two Australian sides that will take part in the inaugural Twenty20 Champions League later this year.

Via NewsPost

Get ready for T20 Super Series

Friday, October 3, 2008

After the Indian Premier League and Champions Twenty20, the slam-bang cricket is poised to become just bigger with the stage set for a T20 'Super Series' involving India, Australia and South Africa next year.

Via PTI

Harbhajan Singh's bid appears doomed

A bid by controversial Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh to represent the Victoria or West Australia appears doomed. Harbhajan, notorious for his heated on-field exchanges with Australian cricketers, was reportedly keen to join one of the Australian domestic teams for the inaugural Twenty20 Champions League tournament in India in December.

Via FoxSports

Champions League T20 Logo unveiled

Saturday, September 27, 2008

ESS Managing Director Manu Sawhney and League Chairman Lalit Modi unveiled the logo of the Champions League T20.

Via ESPNStar

3 cities to host Twenty20 Champions League matches

Thursday, September 25, 2008

Organizers for the Twenty20 Champions League picked Bangalore, Chennai and Mumbai as venues for the inaugural tournament. Lalit Modi, chairman of the Champions League board, announced the selections for the Dec. 2-10 event in a statement Thursday. Mumbai to host Champions League Twenty20 final.

Via IHT

ESPN Star lays high ad pitch for T20 Champions

Monday, September 22, 2008

The commercial rights holder of the most expensive cricket tournament per match—ESPN Star Sports (ESS)—has hit the market aggressively. ESS has floated sponsorship slots at rates higher than what Sony Max had charged for IPL in March-April this year.

Via ET

Younis prefers first-class cricket over Champions T20

Sunday, September 21, 2008

The money on offer at the Twenty20 Champions League might be alluring but senior Pakistan batsman Younis Khan says he would still prefer to play first-class cricket in Australia if there is a clash of dates. Younis said Twenty20, despite ruling the popularity charts, is no match for the thrill a player gets out of competing in the longer versions of the game.

Via PTI

National T20 winners will play in Champions League: PCB

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has confirmed that winners of next month's National Twenty20 Championship will represent the country in the inaugural Champions League.
"There is added incentive for the winners this year as they will represent Pakistan in the prestigious Champions League.

Via PTI

BCCI to get richer with T20 Champions league

Friday, September 12, 2008

It is windfall for the three founding members of Champions Twenty20 League after inking massive USD 900 million television rights deal with ESPN STAR but the Indian Cricket Board will be the biggest beneficiary with 50 per cent of the amount going to its coffers. According to media reports here, the three founding member boards -- BCCI, Cricket Australia and Cricket South Africa -- will share the 10-year deal amount with India getting half of it and CA and CSA pocketing 25 per cent each.

Via ExpressIndia

Lalit Modi appointed chairman of Champions League T20 board

Indian Premier League (IPL) commissioner Lalit Modi has been appointed chairman of the board of the Champions League Twenty20 tournament scheduled in December. The decision was taken at a meeting of the three founding member boards - the Board of Control for Cricket in India, (BCCI) Cricket Australia (CA) and Cricket South Africa (CSA) here.

Via SindhToday

T20 Champions League rights sold for $ 900 m

Thursday, September 11, 2008

ESPN Star Sports has secured the ten-year commercial rights for the Champions League Twenty20 with a $900 million bid. The deal gives ESPN STAR Sports the exclusive Global Commercial Rights for all the matches in the inaugural Champions League Twenty20 season, due to be held from December 3 to 10, 2008, and for all further Champions League Twenty20 seasons until 2017.

Via CricketNext

ESPN, Sony in race for Champions League rights

ESPN STAR Sports and Sony Entertainment Television (SET) are the only two bidders in race to acquire the telecast rights of the tournament slated for December this year, sources said. It was earlier announced that the floor price for the bid has been set for $750 million for ten years.

Via BS

Television money just champion for Modi

Sunday, September 7, 2008

The Twenty20 craze shows no sign of abating. Indian television companies are clamouring to show the Champions League, – which, featuring club teams from five countries, will take place at yet to be decided venues from 3 to 10 December – and the extent of their commitment will be revealed this week when the result of the rights bids is announced.

Via Telegraph

2009 Champions League scheduled for September-October

Friday, September 5, 2008

The second Champions Twenty20 League will take place next year between September 25 and October 11, and will feature 12 teams, four more than the first edition to be held between December 3-10, 2008.

Next year's league has been scheduled in the same month the ICC proposes to hold its Champions Trophy, which was postponed from September 2009 after five of the eight participating nations said they would not send their teams for the event given security concerns in Pakistan.

http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/t20champions/content/story/368437.html

Dhoni likely to miss Champions League final

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Chennai Super Kings, the IPL team that has qualified for the Champions Twenty20 League in December, is likely to release captain MS Dhoni in the later stages of the tournament to help him prepare for India's Test series against England, a top franchise official has said.

http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/t20champions/content/story/365488.html

Twenty20 deals blow to Australia v South Africa Test series

Friday, August 15, 2008

The credibility of Test cricket took another blow when the biggest series of the coming winter – the de facto world championship bout between Australia and South Africa – was shifted to make room for a money-spinning Twenty20 tournament.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/cricket/international/australia/
2560636/Twenty20-deals-blow-to-Australia-v-South-Africa-Test-series---Cricket.html

Twenty20 cup rescheduling angers England

England are fighting an increasingly lonely battle to protect the status of Test cricket against the onward march of Twenty20 after Australia and South Africa bowed yesterday to Indian pressure to reschedule the inaugural Twenty20 Champions League from September to December.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2008/aug/15/twenty20.englandcricketteam

Champions League in December

Thursday, August 14, 2008

The Board of Control for Cricket in India, Cricket Australia, and Cricket South Africa today announced the rescheduling of the inaugural edition of the Champions League Twenty20 from September-October to early December.

http://www.thetwenty20cup.co.uk/news/article.asp?NewsID=3246

Kent chief vows to fight for Champions League

Sunday, August 10, 2008

Paul Millman, the Kent chief executive, is adamant his club will participate in the Champions League later this year. Despite reaching the final of the Twenty20 Cup, Kent have been denied entry to the inaugural competition owing to the inclusion of two players who were part of the unsanctioned Indian Cricket League (ICL).

http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/t20champions/content/story/364518.html

Twenty20 Champions League decision delayed

Thursday, August 7, 2008

The International Cricket Council (ICC) have chosen to delay the decision of whether to officially sanction the proposed Twenty20 Champions League. The ICC have previously backed plans for the tournament but there still needs to be an agreement for when the tournament can be staged.

http://www.inthenews.co.uk/sports/sport/general-sport/
twenty20-champions-league-decision-delayed-$1235290.htm

Central Districts on standby for Champions League

Wednesday, August 6, 2008

Central Districts are on the verge of a lucrative invitation to compete in the inaugural Twenty20 Champions League in India. A decision was expected tonight on whether the New Zealand Twenty20 champions would join the leading domestic sides from India, South Africa, Australia and Pakistan at the tournament starting on September 29.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/4/story.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=10524324

Sony floats Champions T20 ad-rates even before bagging rights

Sunday, August 3, 2008

Broadcaster Sony Entertainment Television (SET), a key contender for the upcoming Champions T20 League, has unofficially begun floating packages for potential advertisers in the market. The rates that are currently being quoted are Rs 3.5-4 lakh for a 10-second spot. Media agencies said that Sony is currently testing the waters and have, therefore, begun informal conversations with key clients and agencies.

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Sony_floats_ad-rates_for_Champions_T20_League
/articleshow/3316585.cms

Middlesex in Twenty20 Champions League

English side Middlesex has been confirmed as one of the eight teams to take part in cricket's inaugural Twenty20 Champions League, which starts in India next month.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) confirmed its Twenty20 champion side would take part in the tournament, which also includes Victoria and Western Australia as Australia's two representative sides.

http://news.smh.com.au/sport/middlesex-in-twenty20-champions-league-20080802-3owt.html

Pakistan to send two teams in Champions League

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has decided to field in two teams in the inaugural Champions League Twenty20 tournament to be held in India from September 29 to October 8. Although ICC has expressed reservations over the event, PCB Chief Operating Officer, Shafqat Naghmi made it clear that Pakistan would support every decision on the Indian Cricket Board-backed Twenty20 tournament.

Champions Twenty20 League formally launched

Thursday, July 31, 2008

The BCCI-backed Champions Twenty20 League has been formally launched with a commitment from the men in charge that it would give priority to the ICC's Future Tours Programme. The launch, which followed a meeting among top officials of the BCCI, Cricket Australia and Cricket South Africa in Mumbai, confirmed most details previously announced but left the tournament's venue yet to be confirmed.

http://content-www.cricinfo.com/india/content/story/363006.html

First Edition of Champions League to be held in India

Monday, July 28, 2008

The first Champions League will be played in India this year, said Lalit Modi, the Indian Cricket Board (BCCI) official and the Indian Premier League (IPL) commissioner on Monday. Modi said that the matches will be played in three venues - Jaipur, New Delhi and Mohali from September 29 to October 8.

Eight teams are expected to participate in the event that will include the teams securing the first and the second positions in the domestic Twenty20 events of South Africa and Australia, besides the winner and runner-up of the IPL.

http://www.cricketnext.com/news/champions-league-to-be-held-in-india/33102-13.html

ECB announces £750m rival to the Twenty20 Champions League

Middlesex were still contemplating their lucrative victory worth £42,000 for the winners, over defending Twenty20 Cup holders Kent on Saturday night, when news broke of a cataract of cash that is about to flood into this abbreviated form of the game. The England and Wales Cricket Board has announced that it has secured a £750m deal over 10 years for a rival Twenty20 Champions League which will accommodate both the English finalists.

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/cricket/
ecb-announces-163750m-rival-to-the-twenty20-champions-league-878735.html

IPL warn ECB over Twenty20 Champions League stance

The head of the Indian Premier League (IPL) has warned the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) over their stalling in backing the Twenty20 Champions League. IPL chairman Lalit Modi has said that the Twenty20 Champions League will take place with or without English sides.

http://www.inthenews.co.uk/sports/sport/general-sport/
ipl-warn-ecb-over-twenty20-champions-league-stance-$1233575.htm

ECB to unveil Twenty20 Champions League

Friday, July 25, 2008

The England and Wales Cricket Board are set to announce that they have formed their own Champions League Twenty20 tournament, which will take place in the Middle East this autumn. 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.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/cricket/counties/
2455989/ECB-to-unveil-Twenty20-Champions-League.html

No plans to shelve Champions League: Modi

Indian Premier League Commissioner Lalit Modi on Thursday dismissed media reports about plans to shelve the Champions League and said dates for the inaugural Twenty20 event would be announced soon. "There is no plan to shelve the Champions League. We will decide on the dates of the Champions League after the Champions Trophy," Modi told PTI.

http://www.cricketnext.com/news/
modi-rubbishes-plans-to-shelve-champ-league/33032-13.html

Is the Champions League shelved?

Thursday, July 24, 2008

The Board of Control for Cricket in India's (BCCI) ambitious Twenty20 tournament, the Champions League, which was to be held in October, has reportedly been shelved without giving any reason.

Indian Premier League (IPL) commissioner Lalit Modi has informed stakeholders about plans to drop the ambitious project a couple of days ago, without giving the reason behind it, according to a report in The Economic Times.

http://www.cricketnext.com/news/
is-the-champions-league-a-nonstarter/33024-13.html

ICC unwilling to lay ground for BCCI’s Champions T20

Thursday, July 17, 2008

The Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) plan to host the Champions T20 seems to be on a sticky wicket. The tournament, which was planned on the lines of the blockbuster Indian Premier League (IPL), is yet to receive clearance from the International Cricket Council (ICC). It is slated to take place in October.

Insiders tell ET that the Champions T20 is also facing opposition from the English Cricket Board (ECB). “Although the Cricket Board of Australia is supposed to be a part of the tournament, the members of the foreign boards are worried about BCCI becoming an even bigger cricketing power than it already is, and hence don’t want the tournament to happen,” they said.

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/News_By_Industry/ICC_unwilling_to_lay_ground_for_BCCIs_Champions_T20/articleshow/3234270.cms

Glam target Champions League jackpot

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

GLAMORGAN could hit a £2.5m Champions League jackpot after being handed a Twenty20 Cup lifeline. The Welsh county were last night dramatically reinstated into the competition by the England and Wales Cricket – meeting Durham at Chester-le Street next Monday – at the expense of Yorkshire and Nottinghamshire.

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sports/sports-news-round-up
/2008/07/15/cricket-glam-target-champions-league-jackpot-91466-21341873/

Set Max set to clinch TV rights for T20 Champions League

Friday, July 11, 2008

Sony Entertainment Television is likely to bag the telecast rights of the Twenty20 Champions League to be organised by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) this October. According to sources, Sony may emerge as the favourite choice due to its successful liaison with the BCCI for the highly popular Indian Premier League (IPL) matches in April this year, for which it has the broadcast rights for the next ten years.

More: http://www.financialexpress.com/news/
Set-Max-set-to-clinch-TV-rights-for-T20-Champions-League/334216/

Lancashire one game away from India Champions League

Tuesday, July 8, 2008

THE WINNERS of this evening's Twenty20 Cup quarter-final between Lancashire and Middlesex at the Brit Oval could be just one step away from participating in the lucrative Champions League which is due to be held in India this autumn.

http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/0200sport/0400cricket/
tm_headline=lancashire-one-game-away-from-india-champions-league&method=full&objectid=21303565&siteid=50061-name_page.html

UAE won't host Champions League

Monday, July 7, 2008

The Abu Dhabi Cricket Council has ruled itself out of hosting the proposed ICC Champions League Twenty20 tournament. Dilawar Mani, the president of the Abu Dhabi Cricket Council, said the UAE would not be able to host the event this year as at least two venues are required.

http://sportal.com.au/cricket-news-display/
uae-wont-host-champions-league-51949

Pak confirms Champions League Twenty20 participation

Saturday, July 5, 2008

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Friday confirmed their participation in the Champions Trophy Twenty20 tournament to be held in India later in 2008.
PCB Chairman Nasim Ashraf said he has got a formal invitation from Indian Premier League Chairman Lalit Modi and Pakistan will send two teams in the 10 million dollar mega event, which will have top two domestic teams from five countries.

http://cricket.expressindia.com/news/
Pak-confirms-Champions-League-Twenty20-participation/331421/

ECB threaten Twenty20 Champions League breakaway

England are ready to organise a breakaway Twenty20 Champions League in the Middle East this autumn if India maintain their threat to ban counties who employ any Indian Cricket League players.

In another illustration of the ECB's new-found willingness to counter the dominance of the powerful Indian board, contingency plans are already advanced for an eight-team tournament minus the Indian Premier League finalists.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/cricket/
article-1031993/ECB-threaten-Twenty20-Champions-League-breakaway.html

UAE likely to stage Champions League

Tuesday, July 1, 2008

UAE is under consideration as a venue for the Cricket Champions League involving two teams from England, India, Australia and South Africa.

"UAE can get to stage the champions league. Top two teams from the different countries will play in this event," said Niranjan Shah, the secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

http://www.gulfnews.com/sport/Cricket/10225147.html

Oram hopes to play in `rich' T20 Champions League

Monday, June 30, 2008

New Zealand all-rounder Jacob Oram hopes he can play some part in the forthcoming Twenty20 Champions League to be held in India in September-October. Oram is qualified to play the eight-team Champions League, which carries a first prize of five million dollars after his Chennai Super Kings team finished second in this year's Indian Premier League (IPL).

More: http://www.dailyindia.com/show/253210.php/
Oram-hopes-to-play-in-%60rich-T20-Champions-League

ECB not ruling ICL players out of Champions League

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Despite Indian Cricket Board refusing to feature English counties having ICL players in the Twenty20 Champions League, an undeterred England and Wales Cricket Board said it would wait till a clear picture of the tournament rules came out in Dubai next week.

http://cricket.expressindia.com/news/ECB-not-ruling-ICL-players-out-of-Champions-League/326495/

NZ left out of next 20/20 blitz

Monday, June 23, 2008

New Zealand cricket has been left out of India’s next glitzy $13 million Twenty20 show. New Zealand will not be invited and the competition will feature top two domestic sides from India, Australia, Pakistan, South Africa and England.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/4593407a1823.html

England’s spot in Champions League may go to Pakistan

“Pakistan may be the fourth [country], but first we have to get a response from the ECB on the ICL issue. Teams from England can be considered, but only those who don’t have players associated with the ICL. We will get a final picture when the issue is discussed during the ICC’s annual conference in Dubai at the end of this month,” Bindra, who is also, conveniently, the ICC’s “principal adviser”, added.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/cricket/article4193962.ece

BCCI approves Champions T20

After the huge success of the Indian Premier League, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Sunday approved another money-spinner, the Champions Twenty20 tournament, with a clause to debar English counties having players aligned to the Indian Cricket League (ICL).

More: http://www.hindu.com/2008/06/23/stories/2008062356181900.htm

English Clubs with ICL players cannot play in Twenty20 Champions League

Sunday, June 22, 2008

English teams that qualify for the multimillion dollar Twenty20 Champions League must leave out any players who participated in the non-sanctioned Indian Cricket League or be barred from the September-October competition, Indian officials said Sunday.

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/06/22/sports/AS-SPT-CRI-Champions-League.php

India may host cricket's Champions League in October

Friday, June 20, 2008

India may host a soccer-style US$ five million Champions League of cricket in September-October after the BCCI and its counterparts in England, Australia and South Africa reached an agreement on staging the tourney featuring winners and runners-up of their domestic twenty20 tournaments.

Source: HT

Pawar says counties can field ICL players

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Sharad Pawar said the BCCI will not interfere in the participation of any team in the proposed Champions League Twenty20 tournament. Indian Premier League chairman Lalit Modi had ruled out the possibility of any team that includes cricketers associated with the ICL.

More: http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?newsid=1171907

ICL could cost Kent Champions League spot

Monday, June 16, 2008

KENT chief executive Paul Millman had no reservations about playing ‘rebel’ Indian Cricket League players in the Twenty20 Cup despite the possibility it may affect the club’s hopes of playing in the Champions League.

More: http://www.yourcanterbury.co.uk/kent-news/
ICL-could-cost-Kent-Champions-League-spot-newsinkent13793.aspx?news=sport

Champions League faces legal hassles

Saturday, June 14, 2008

The proposed Champions League Twenty20 tournament in September this year (involving Twenty20 champions from India, Australia, South Africa and England with a prize pool of $5 million) may eventually have to take in the ICL players to avoid legal complications.

More: http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?newsid=1171025

Modi reiterates ICL ban for Champions League

Friday, June 13, 2008

Lalit Modi, the IPL chairman and commissioner, has firmly ruled out the possibility of any team that includes cricketers associated with the unauthorised Indian Cricket League (ICL) participating in the proposed Champions League Twenty20 tournament, even if these players are dropped just for the event. This implies that those cricketers cannot play even in the domestic tournaments that serve as the qualifying stages for the Champions League.

http://usa.cricinfo.com/india/content/story/354643.html

Pakistan also a part of Champions League: PCB Chairman

Nasim Ashraf, the Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Thursday claimed that one team from Pakistan would also be seen in action at the $5 million Champions League, slated to be held later this year.

"It is not correct that Pakistan is not in the Champions League. When the idea of this event was discussed in Mumbai sometime back I was there and the Indian Board, specifically the IPL governing body invited Pakistan to send one team for the championship," Ashraf said.

Source: TOI

Counties head for showdown over ICL rebels

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

The chairmen of several English counties have demanded clarification over the eligibility of such individuals. Cricinfo has been told by other reliable sources that an agreement has been done where by ICL-contracted players can take part.

Counties hit for six by fallout from Indian Cricket League

What is in effect a war between two factions within Indian cricket has spread to the more rarefied environs of the counties as the row over the Indian Cricket League throws a dark shadow across this year's Twenty20 Cup.

Counties ignore Modi and play ICL outcasts in Twenty20

The English counties will field their players from the rogue Indian Cricket League en masse when the Twenty20 season begins tomorrow in defiance of threats to ban them from the inaugural Champions League tournament in September.

The finalists from England's Twenty20 Cup will qualify for the eight-team Champions League, alongside teams from India, Australia and South Africa, with an unprecedented £2.5m on offer for the winner.

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/200419.html

Legal threat to counties who ban ICL players from T20 Champions League

The Twenty20 Cup starts tomorrow with counties fearing legal action from any of their players they ban for signing up with the rebel Indian Cricket League.

The cup finalists will qualify for the £5 million Champions League, featuring the top domestic sides from around the world. But counties who employ players who have signed contracts with the ICL will not be eligible for the tournament - unless they agree to drop their ICL players.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?
view=DETAILS&grid=&xml=/sport/2008/06/10/scfron110.xml

Counties stand to lose £2.5m jackpot over 'rebel' players

English counties will this week jeopardise a potential £2.5m Champions League jackpot by selecting "rebel" players in this season's domestic Twenty20 Cup. English cricket's Twenty20 jamboree begins tomorrow evening with the finalists of this summer's tournament being invited to play in the inaugural Champions League, a competition containing the best two Twenty20 teams from Australia, England, India and South Africa, with a first prize of £2.5m.

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/cricket/
counties-stand-to-lose-16325m-jackpot-over-rebel-players-843578.html

Tough Indian stance set to undermine the T20 Champions League

The Champions League could be ruined before it begins if Indian intransigence has its way. The League, which was only formally announced on Saturday, stands to be fatally undermined unless the Indian cricket board (the BCCI) compromises its hard-line stance.

The main concern revolves around counties with players who have participated in the ‘rebel’ Indian Cricket League...

http://www.birminghampost.net/midlands-birmingham-sport/
west-midlands-sports/cricket-news/2008/06/09/
tough-indian-stance-set-to-undermine-the-t20-champions-league-65233-21047413/

County chiefs demand rebel ruling

English counties are seeking clarification over eligibility from Indian authorities regarding players with rebel ICL connections. The concern centres on the forthcoming Twenty20 Champions League.

Indian Premier League commissioner Lalit Modi has said any team fielding unsanctioned ICL players will be excluded from the autumn tournament.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/cricket/7444879.stm

Team Preview - T20 Champions League

Monday, June 9, 2008

RAJASTHAN ROYALS

The Royals lost just three of their 14 games on the way to winning the inaugural Indian Premier League crown. Coach Shane Warne could end up leading them against his home state Victoria in the Champions League.

Star player: Yusuf Pathan - Contributed with both bat and ball in Rajasthan's triumph, hitting four half-centuries and claiming eight wickets, and taking the man-of-the-match award in the final.

CHENNAI SUPER KINGS

The Super Kings needed fewer than 15 overs to brush aside the Delhi Daredevils in the semi-finals before losing the IPL final on the final ball.

Star player: Mahendra Singh Dhoni - The IPL's most expensive player averaged over 40 with the bat and took six catches behind the stumps as his team made it to the final.

VICTORIA BUSHRANGERS

The Bushrangers have dominated Twenty20 cricket in Australia winning all three of the domestic tournaments to have been held. During that time they have lost just once, against Western Australia last season, however they earned revenge for that defeat in the final when they defeated the Warriors by 32 runs.

Star player: Brad Hodge - The 33-year-old right-hander is the highest run scorer in the short history of Twenty20 cricket Down Under having scored 476 runs for Victoria.

WESTERN AUSTRALIA WARRIORS

The vast array of batting talent in the Western Australian team endears them to the batsman-friendly version of the game with Shaun Marsh and Luke Pomersbach finishing inside the top-three run scorers in last season's Twenty20 competition.

Star player: Shaun Marsh - The left-hander has topped the runscorers' list in both the Australian Twenty20 competition and the Indian Premier League in the past six months.

TITANS

The Pretoria-based side claimed the Pro-20 Series title and the MTN Championship - the premier domestic one-day cricket competition of South Africa - in 2008.

Star player: Dale Steyn - The South Africa paceman had a breakthrough year on the Test scene and has also impressed at the shorter form of the game, recording career-best figures of four for nine in Twenty20 cricket.

DOLPHINS

The Dolphins finished second in the Pro-20 Series after winning four of their six matches. The Natal-based team lost by 18 runs in the final against the Titans in April, failing to chase down a victoty target of 153 for six.

Star player: Pierre de Bruyn - The wicketkeeper-batsman was the Dolphins leading runscorer in last season's Por-20 Series scoring 152 runs at an average of 50.6.

England's teams are yet to be known...

Source: ESPN Star

Glamorgan 'target' lucrative cup

Glamorgan's players have been told to target the Twenty20 Cup competition.

The newly-created £2.5m Twenty20 Champions League tournament has sharpened the focus of counties towards the 20-over format of the game.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/cricket/counties/glamorgan/7442943.stm

Teams for T20 Champions league

1. Rajasthan Royals
2. Chennai Super Kings
3. Pretoria Titans
4. KwaZulu Natal Dolphins
5. Western Australian
6. Victoria
7. England's Twenty20 competition finalist 1
8. England's Twenty20 competition finalist 2

Twenty20 Champions League just adds to the confusion

The announcement that there will be a Champions’ League Twenty20 tournament involving the two domestic finalists from England, South Africa, Australia and India was proudly trumpeted from Lord’s on Saturday.

http://www.birminghampost.net/midlands-birmingham-sport/sports-columnists/2008/06/09/
twenty20-champions-league-just-adds-to-the-confusion-65233-21043002/

ECB fights threat of Twenty20 with £2m win bonuses

England's Test cricketers are to be offered bonus payments of up to £2m a year in an attempt to check the cash-driven shift towards Twenty20 as cricket's predominant format.

The move follows the announcement of another massive jackpot for the shorter version of the game when the first Champions League takes place in October, with a £2.5m prize for the winning team.

More: http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/cricket/
ecb-fights-threat-of-twenty20-with-1632m-win-bonuses-842878.html

India Unveil Plans for Champions Twenty20 League

The Board of Control for Indian Cricket has announced plans for a Twenty20 cricket league involving some of the best teams around the globe in the style of the Football Champions' League.

This cricket league will consist of eight of the worlds best teams, that is, two teams from each of England, Australia, India and South Africa.

In England, there is a Twenty20 cup and whoever are the finalists will have a place in the Champions' League.

More: http://www.bleacherreport.com/articles/
28170-Cricket-India-Unveil-Plans-for-Champions-Twenty20-League

Champions League gets wide backing in cricket world, with provisos

Growing excitement about Twenty20 aside, the unveiling of the US$5 million Champions League has triggered the oldest and most predictable reaction in cricket: concern over the ramifications for test matches.

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/06/08/
sports/EU-SPT-CRI-Champions-League-Reaction.php

Australian test players to miss T20 Champs League

Sunday, June 8, 2008

Australia's international cricketers will miss the inaugural Twenty20 Champions League later this year due to touring commitments, Cricket Australia (CA) said on Sunday.

http://uk.reuters.com/article/sportsNews/idUKSP1696920080608

Warne to lead Royals against Victoria

Shane Warne will captain his Indian Premier League (IPL) champion side Rajasthan Royals against his home side Victoria in a new international Twenty20 club championship that will involve top Twenty20 teams from India, England, South Africa and Australia.

http://sify.com/sports/fullstory.php?id=14690318

Vaughan voices Champions League fears

England captain Michael Vaughan said here Sunday he feared the new proposed Champions League Twenty20 tournament later this year could distract counties from developing players for the Test side.

http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5i-yH5w6zTROg4qRtOX_L_EM2tFFw

Champions League Twenty20 tournament announced

A potential clash with the tour of Bangladesh may prevent New Zealand cricket allrounder Jacob Oram cashing in on the multi-million dollar Champions League Twenty20 tournament which was confirmed today.

http://www.tv3.co.nz/News/Story/tabid/209/
articleID/58692/cat/41/Default.aspx

Top counties to play for £2.5m Twenty20 prize

Further evidence of Twenty20 cricket's inexorable rise emerged yesterday when it was announced that $5 million (£2.54 million) will go to the winners of this autumn's new Champions League, which will include the top two counties from England's Twenty20 Cup.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?
xml=/sport/2008/06/08/scfron108.xml

India may host cricket's Champions League in October

International Champions League gets approval from England, Australia, India and SA

A multimillion dollar Champions League will be launched in September after the cricket boards of England, Australia, India and South Africa reached agreement on the new Twenty20 tournament.

The England and Wales Cricket Board announced plans for the league Saturday, saying the inaugural eight-team competition would likely be staged in India or the Middle East over 10 days in September and early October.

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/06/07/sports/
EU-SPT-CRI-Champions-League.php

Champions League – A 20Twenty Cricket Feast

Friday, June 6, 2008

The efforts to organize Champions League, a knock out competition between the top two teams of the domestic T20 tournaments in various countries are well on the way. In all likeliness the tournament will be held in a 10 day window that exists in the ICC calendar between the final of the Champions trophy on September 28th and the start of the Bangalore test between India and Australia on October 9th.

Popular belief says that this tournament isn’t going to be much interesting because the Indian Premier League sides will prove too much for others but this tournament could well end the same way as IPL did for those who had written out Rajasthan Royals. If the tournament as it is likely is staged in England the local players in IPL sides will have their task cut out with the ball seaming and swinging.

More

PCB to request for change of CT rules

Saturday, May 24, 2008

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Nasim Ashraf on Friday said that he will be seeking some changes in ICC rules for the Champions Trophy in September as it is clashing with the holy month of Ramadan.

“We will ask ICC to have some changes in playing rules during Champions Trophy as the event is colliding with Ramadan. There should be a gap of an hour in between the two innings so that the spectators should not face difficulty during their Iftar timings.”

More

England say ‘No’ to the $20m winner-takes-all showdown

Sunday, May 18, 2008

England's players have rejected the chance to play in a $20million winner-takes-all Twenty20 showdown against Texan billionaire Sir Allen Stanford's All-Star West Indies XI due to start in 2010.

The players are keen to take part in the annual big-money match at Stanford's private ground in Antigua, and an annual quadrangular tournament in England, featuring the hosts, the All-Star XI and two other international sides, initially from Pakistan, Sri Lanka or New Zealand. But the prospect of winning — or losing — such an enormous sum of money as £10m, perhaps on the misfortune of a dropped catch or the outcome of the last ball of the game, has proved too much.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/sport/
cricket.html?in_article_id=567049&in_page_id=1849

Dolphins wait on T20 decision

Saturday, May 17, 2008

There is still no confirmation that the international Twenty20 competition, which the Titans and the Dolphins qualified for when they reached the final of the Standard Bank Pro20 last month, will take place.

The competition, called the Champions Twenty20 League, also involves the two top teams from England, Australia and India. It was launched by the Indian cricket authorities in New Delhi in September last year.

Some of the big names attending the launch were Sachin Tendulkar among the players, as well as ICC president Ray Mali, Cricket South Africa chief executive Gerald Majola and Cricket Australia CEO James Surtherland among the administrators.

More: http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=6&click_id=17&art_id=vn20080516070455563C448279

ICC chief warns against T20 overkill

Friday, May 16, 2008

ICC chief warns against T20 overkill New international cricket chief Haroon Lorgat said on Wednesday it was important that the expanding Twenty20 format did not begin to dominate the Test and 50-over game.

Champions' League back on but has a tough act to follow

Champions' League back on but has a tough act to follow - Cricket, Sport - The Independent While McCullum magic lights up IPL, England's top two Twenty20 teams are being lined up for yet another event in Dubai in October.

Pakistan may hold PPL in 2009, Australian tour confirmed

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Associated Press Of Pakistan - Pakistan may hold PPL in 2009, Australian tour confirmed: "Financial bonanza from the Australian cricket team’s tour of Pakistan next year will be higher than the loss incurred from the earlier postponement of the same tour while PCB would try to hold Twenty20 Pakistan Premier League next year."

Yorkshire welcome T20 Champions League plans

David Collier, the ECB chief executive, says: "ECB is delighted and congratulates BCCI on launching the Indian Premier League to compliment the domestic competitions run by ECB, Cricket South Africa and Cricket Australia. For County, State and Province players the introduction of the T20 Champions competition played between the eight best teams in the world who have earned their place through our domestic competitions provides a new and exciting pinnacle for our County champions. It will provide teams with the opportunity to earn the title of the World Club Champions in a format which will be eagerly anticipated by spectators and players alike."

http://www.yorkshireccc.com/archive/news908671349/index.html

A T20 Champions League

Monday, May 12, 2008

Buoyant by the impressive launch of the Indian Premier League, it’s organisers have already started chalking out plans to take the event to the next level. A soccer style Champions League, featuring top domestic Twenty20 sides from several countries is in the pipeline and may see the daylight as soon as October this year.

It has been reliably learnt that England have been offered the chance to host the mega tournament, which is likely to be held between the ICC Champions Trophy - which ends on September 28 - and the first Test between India and Australia, starting October 9. A prominent cricket centre in North India has also been named as the back-up venue.

More: http://cricket.zeenews.com/fullstory.asp?nid=9529

Lord's could host neutral Tests and Twenty20 Champions League

Wednesday, May 7, 2008

Lord's could stage neutral Test matches and matches in the proposed Twenty20 Champions League to assist the MCC in fund raising as it plans to spend up to £200 million to redevelop the ground ahead of its bicentenary in 2014.

http://content-ind.cricinfo.com/ipl/content/story/350234.html

ECB going to India for £1m Champions’ League in November

Monday, May 5, 2008

The Twenty20 Champions’ League is likely to be played in India in November. The England and Wales Cricket Board, who have been asked to organise the tournament, have yet to work out the details but they are increasingly confident that the competition will take place with a top prize of £1m.

Read more: http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/cricket/
ecb-going-to-india-for-1631m-champions-league-in-november-820771.html

ECB Welcomes T20 Champions League Plans

The England and Wales Cricket Board have today welcomed the news that the Board of Cricket Control in India, Cricket Australia, Cricket South Africa and ECB are planning a T20 Champions League which will offer counties from England and Wales the chance to compete for a £1m first prize.

The concept for the new competition was revealed in Delhi today and was backed by the ICC as well as the four Boards involved. It will provide a great boost for next season’s Twenty20 Cup in England and Wales.

More: http://www.cricketworld.com/england/ecb/article/?aid=13248