A$50 million rebel contracts ‘highly speculative’- Cricket Australia

SYDNEY, (Reuters) – CRICKET Australia have dismissed as “highly speculative” media reports that Michael Clarke and David Warner will be offered A$50 million ($39.37 million) contracts to defect to an Indian-financed rebel cricket league.

Fairfax media on Friday quoted unnamed sources as saying Clarke and Warner would be targeted as “priority acquisitions” on lucrative 10-year deals to play in an international Twenty20 league run by a new global governing body.

“We are aware of the reports around a rebel league and they remain highly speculative, particularly given the proposed scale and complexity,” CRICKET Australia chairman Wally Edwards said in a statement.

“Australian CRICKET has never been in better health. Record crowds, television audiences, grassroots participation and commercial support continue to drive record revenue which means player payments have never been higher and will only increase.

“As it stands, Australia’s CRICKETERS are the highest paid athletes of any team sport in the country and the earnings of our top-ranked players would already be close to the numbers referenced in today’s media reports.”

According to Australian magazine BRW, all rounder Shane Watson was the best-paid cricketer in the country last year with a total of A$4.5 million ($3.54 million) in on and off-field earnings.

Friday’s report was the latest in a string of stories about the new cricketing structure being set up by Indian entertainment conglomerate, the Essel Group.

The breakaway structure would be looking to exploit dissatisfaction in the game surrounding last year’s deal BROKERED by the existing governing body, the International CRICKET Council.

That “Big Three” model gives India, England and Australia a greater say in the running of the game and a bigger share of the revenues deriving from international cricket.

Any breakaway move would have echoes of Australian tycoon Kerry Packer’s rebel World Series, which reinvigorated the game with the popularisation of one-day cricket in the 1970s.

Edwards said that Cricket Australia’s current pay structure had a much broader goal than just enriching the top players such as test captain Clarke and opener Warner.

“The success of international cricket directly subsidises the wages of state CRICKETERS. Any proposed rebel league would jeopardise that,” he added.

“Most of Australian cricket’s revenue is reinvested back into the sport, strengthening it for the 1.1  million players at grassroots level around the country.

“We remain firmly focused on growing the game in Australia for fans and participants, while at international level we will be staunch in working with the ICC and other member countries to protect the interests of the game globally.”

Rain plays spoilsport after Sarfaraz blitz

Virat Kohli and Chris Gayle were gone inside three overs, AB de Villiers was run out before the death, and rain washed out play after the first innings, yet the Chinnaswamy Stadium was dazzled by a 17-year-old's 45 not out from 21, as Royal Challengers Bangalore sped to 200 for 7. Playing his second IPL innings, Sarfaraz Khan clubbed six fours and a six to ensure the hosts did not suffer for conceding two run outs in the middle overs, taking a particular liking to the bowling of Pravin Tambe - a man 26 years his senior.

Sarfaraz began his charge with an upper cut four off James Faulkner in the 16th over, before finding the boundary off successive Shane Watson balls the following over. It was his taking apart of Tambe in the 18th over, though, which made 200 possible for Royal Challengers. Sarfaraz swept Tambe powerfully first ball, then advanced to launch the bowler over his head for six. An inside-out four would come three balls later. The 18 runs from that over pushed the score to 175 for 6, after which David Weise and Harshal Patel helped add the finishing touches.

Rajasthan Royals had began brightly enough, when the recalled Tim Southee had Gayle caught at midwicket in the first over, then had Kohli nicking behind in the third. De Villiers was not compelled to caution by a scoreline of 19 for 2 however, and he struck James Faulkner for three successive fours in the fifth over. He and Mandeep Singh put on a 74-run stand, the highlight of which was de Villiers' wallop over the deep-midwicket fence off Stuart Binny. That shot brought up his fifty off 41 balls, but a mix up with Dinesh Karthik cost him his wicket in the 13th over.

All this would be of no avail in the end, though. Rain began to fall in Bangalore during the innings break, and did not fully abate until 11:39pm, when the match was called off.

Watson and Smith confident of retaining the Ashes

After suffering three successive Ashes defeats in England in 2005, 2009 and 2013, Australia are on course to retain the Ashes, according to Shane Watson and Steven Smith. The dynamic Aussie duo spoke exclusively to ESPN Cricinfo recently about the upcoming Ashes tour and they both sounded confident after Australia’s recent World Cup triumph.

"We've got a very strong squad that's going over to England," Watson said. "We've got good depth and the best part is everyone is in nearly career-best form right now which is most important as well. There is a huge hunger within the group because we know that we haven't won in England for the last three series. I've been involved in two of those. There's a big burning desire to be involved in an Ashes winning campaign in England as well. We're as well prepared as we can be within our group. I'm incredibly excited about what's on the horizon with the Ashes and everyone else is as well."

Steven Smith, who is widely tipped to be named the next ODI skipper of Australia went one step ahead and said that he feels ‘England won’t come close’ to beating them considering Australia’s current form. "I can't wait to get over there and play another Ashes against England in their conditions after beating them so convincingly in Australia. It's going to be nice to go in their backyard. If we continue to play the way we have been playing over the last 12-18 months, I don't think that they'll come close to us to be honest," he said.
On Rajasthan’s IPL campaign

They also spoke about RR’s current campaign in the IPL where they made a terrific start by winning the first five games. They went on to lose the next two with the third one getting washed out. Smith believes that his side is yet to play its best cricket.

Watson then praised the culture the franchise has developed over the years by giving opportunities to unheralded stars. "Some of the other teams spend all their salary caps but in the end it's part of the evolution of our group to give an opportunity to people, like myself in the first year, to impress and get those guys in and around our group because we know they really want to get the best out of themselves and also for the team. We had a good year a couple of years ago when we made the Champions League and this year it feels very special as well with the group we've got around and the depth in our squad has been as good as it ever has been," he said.