MUMBAI: Cricketer turned commentator Tony Greig is an outspoken commentator and at times controversial but all that has little impact on the man who is more in the news these days for his tirade against the BCCI and its progeny, the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Speaking at the MCC Spirit of Cricket Cowdrey Lecture, Greig has blamed India (read BCCI) for most of the ills inflicting the game.

He suggested that the only way out from the current country versus club conflict is reducing the length of IPL and expanding it to make it a pan-Asia league which would include teams from Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Pakistan.

According to Greig, the understanding between the BCCI and these cricket boards would be that no international cricket would be scheduled during the IPL which would mean extra income for these cricket boards and their players which would also address the issue of player availability.

"India (BCCI) should agree to reduce the length of the IPL in its current form as a trade-off for the other countries not scheduling Internationals in opposition to it. That is, unless it adopts my Asian League proposal which I shall discuss in a minute," Greig stated.

"It should agree to expand the IPL to say an Asian League and include extra teams from Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Pakistan. The cricket boards of these countries should be given a financial interest in the competition, which would enable them to under-write most of their cricket.

"Those funds would compensate 10 the boards for not running domestic Twenty/20 competitions of their own as they are planning to do now. This expanded league would enable players from the have-not countries to earn good money and still be available for Internationals."

He further stated that England and South Africa should set-up their own IPL styled leagues which would also include teams from neighboring countries for example Australia could include New Zealand in the Big Bash League.

"England should set up its equivalent of the IPL and include teams from the West Indies and one team from Ireland, which would have a financial interest in the competition. Similar arrangements should be made by South Africa for Zimbabwe and Kenya. And Australia‘s Big Bash should include New Zealand teams.

At the same time he also contended that the ICC should not grant window to any of the domestic Twenty20 leagues that have sprouted in many cricket playing nations.

The former English captain also chided BCCI for its dictatorial ways of stalling major decisions citing the example of Decision Review System which was implemented but later withdrawn due to BCCI‘s pressure.

He said the ICC was just a namesake governing body of the game. In reality it‘s the BCCI which calls the shots courtesy its fledging cricket market which helps the game survive globally.

"Currently, there are 10 full members of the ICC and the constitution requires the approval of 70%, or seven members, to advance any motion, which means 40%, or four members, can block any motion," said Greig.

"Much of the game is controlled by the BCCI because it controls enough votes to block any proposal put forward at the ICC board meetings. The reason for this is some countries would not survive without the financial opportunities India provides."

However, Greig also had a word of praise for the powerful board. He lauded BCCI‘s effort to reward former cricketers with a one-time payment for their services to Indian cricket.

He was of the firm belief that the problems of world cricket can be addressed if India adheres to the spirit of cricket.

"Mahatma Gandhi had said that a nation‘s culture resides in the hearts and in the soul of its people. As cricket certainly resides in the hearts and souls of Indian people I am optimistic India will lead cricket by acting in the best interests of all countries rather than just for India," he averred.

He also recommended that every international team should be required to play at least three Tests, three ODIs and three Twenty/20 matches against all the other teams in a given home and away cycle for the ICC"s Future Tours Programme to work well.

Five, World cricket should do everything possible to not only help the West Indies become a dominant Test force again but to ensure Pakistan cricket survives the extraordinary situation it finds itself.

MUMBAI: The fourth edition of the Champions League T20 will be hosted by South Africa, CL T20 CEO Sundar Raman said.

The CL T20 will be held in October after the ICC Twenty20 World Cup in Sri Lanka. The tournament will be played at Cape Town, Johannesburg, Centurion and Durban.

It is believed that Durga Puja and monsoon are being cited as the reasons for shifting as their timings will coincide with the schedule of the tournament.

"South Africa will host CLT20 this year. All other details to follow soon," Raman, who is also a member of the CLT20?s technical committee, posted on his Twitter page.

Meanwhile, seven teams have already qualified for the tournament.

IPL 2012 champions Kolkata Knight Riders will join runners-up Chennai Super Kings and third-placed Delhi Daredevils as India?s three representatives in the tournament.

Big Bash League champions Sydney Sixers and runners-up Perth Scorchers are the two Australian teams that will be a part of CLT20 2012. From South Africa the Nashua Titans and the Highveld Lions, MiWay T20 Challenge champions and runners-up respectively, will turn up for the tournament.

Apart from the above mentioned seven confirmed teams, three more teams will feature in the multi-national T20 league. A qualifying series will precede the main CLT20 tournament and it will include the domestic T20 champions from Sri Lanka, New Zealand, West Indies, Pakistan and England.

This is the second time South Africa will host the tournament. It had first hosted the tournament in 2010. The first and third editions of the tournament were held in India.

The move will not go down well with the IPL franchises who were insisting on keeping the tournament in India.

MUMBAI: The probe into alleged financial irregularities in the Indian Premier League (IPL) was progressing and has reached adjudication level, the Enforcement Directorate has informed the Sports ministry.

Sports minister Ajay Maken had written a letter to the ED on 17 May seeking a speedy probe into the alleged irregularities committed by the BCCI as well as the franchises.

"The ministry has got a response from the ED and they have informed that the cases of alleged violations under the forex rules have entered the adjudication stage. The penal processes will begin soon in the notices sent under FEMA laws," PTI quotes a source privy to the development as saying.

The Finance Ministry has slapped 19 notices to BCCI on alleged foreign exchange violations to the tune of Rs 10.77 billion relating to the IPL.

Maken had also called for an investigation by the ED and Income Tax department whether the players were paid through black money following a sting operation which showed domestic players claiming that they received more money than the prescribed salary cap of the BCCI.

The ministry, which has been at loggerheads with the BCCI, had also written to the revenue secretary seeking an inquiry whether black money was being used in conducting the IPL.

MUMBAI: The cash-strapped Sri Lanka Cricket board (SLC) has set a floor price of $3 million for the T20 league franchises, a paltry amount compared to the IPL.

When IPL launched in 2008, it had fixed a minimum price of $50 million, which later zoomed to $225 million when two teams were added in 2010.

The SLC said it will lease out seven teams for a period of seven years and has set in motion the process of identifying franchises for the Sri Lanka Premier League. Bids are invited for the T20 league which has been formed on the lines of cash rich Indian Premier League.

The last day to submit bids is 25 June, while the names of successful bidders will be announced the same day. Interested entities can bid for a maximum of three franchises.

The first edition of SLPL Twenty20 will feature seven provincial teams who will play a total of 24 matches at two venues Colombo and Pallekele. The SLPL will be played from 10-31 August before the ICC Twenty20 World Cup which will be held in Sri Lanka.

Each team will be allowed to have only 18 players in their squad with a compulsory ruling of no more than six overseas players in each squad.

However, teams can field only four overseas players in the playing eleven, while the remaining seven players will be Sri Lankan?s with one player mandatorily being an under-21 cricketer.

The players will be selected through draft process with players being divided into two groups. The first group will consist of players from Sri Lanka while the second group will include foreign players.

It was the Indian cricket board?s reluctance to allow Indian players in the SLPL that led to the postponement of the league last year.

However, the SLC has made it clear that it will go ahead with the league even without Indian players. "We will go ahead with the tournament with or without Indian players," SLC Secretary Nishantha Ranatunga said.

The Sri Lankan board has got the commitment of most full member countries, who have committed to release their players for the tournament, he added.

Somerset Entertainment Ventures is commercial rights holder for the tournament.

All the matches of SLPL will be televised live by Carlton Sports in Sri Lanka. CSN is owned by family members of Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa.