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ICC warns of APL

CRIClNFO, undated
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has warned players against signing up for a new unauthorised league being established in the USA.
The American Premier League, the brainchild of local entrepreneur Jay Mir, is a Twenty20 tournament scheduled to be held in October on a converted baseball field in Staten Island, New York City. Although there remains some uncertainty about the whole venture, it is believed that a number of current and former players have been approached to take part.
The ICC issued a statement earlier this week cautioning that the event was unauthorised, and in effect would have the same status as the rebel Indian Cricket League, whose players have been banned from international and much domestic cricket. That could mean that anyone taking part in the APL would face similar sanctions, and any team fielding such an individual would be barred from the 1\venty20 Champions League.
To date, the only named signings have come from Pakistan, but rumours, many emanating from the organisers, have linked the league with several current county players. The Daily Telegraph claimed that David Collier, the ECB chief executive, had warned county chairmen, about their players signing up.
John Aaron, the secretary of the USA Cricket Association, confirmed to Cricinfo that the board's blessing was not sought in promoting the tournament". He added that "the entrepreneurial sprit is alive and well in the USA, therefore many individuals continue to seek opportunities to arrange events".
The ICC were less conciliatory. "The organis- ers have not sought the approval of the USA Cricket Association or the ICC, although 1 under-stand that the APL is approaching players directly to participate in the event. Members are therefore precluded from releasing their players to play in this event until such time as ICC confirms that the event has been approved."
There was some good news, however, for the APL with the announcement that Sir Richard Hadlee had joined as an executive consultant.
"As an ambassador and executive consultant of the APL, I am delighted to be involved with this event," Hadlee said. "The APL... brings a different format of the game to the USA - namely Twenty20 — with top-class players from around the world participating. This should be the best possible way in which to sell cricket to America’s sport-loving people."
The tournament is promoted by Jay Mir, the president and CEO of American Sports And Entertainment Group Inc, who wants to raise six sides using the IPL's model of franchises and auctions. Several Pakistan players have been linked with the league, including former captain Inzamam-ul-Haq, fast bowler Mohammad Asif, and batsmen Imran Nazir and Imran Farhat who are currently with the ICL.
The APL is yet to receive a stamp of approval from the ICC, who have advised their Member countries not to allow players to participate in the event.
Hadlee hoped the APL gets official sanction soon and said the league was keen to work with the USACA. "It would be shrewd if the USACA allowed the APL to help champion their cause and further cricket’s appeal there (in the USA)."
A further question mark over the whole venture is the timing, as the weather in New York in October is not really suitable for cricket. One veteran administrator in the USA told Cricinfo that "unless they have plans to play indoors, this whole idea is, to out it mildly, ambitious".