ICC MAKES ROOM FOR IPL

The big buck IPL will find an important place on the international calendar according to ICC Chief Executive Malcolm Speed. He said it could be slotted in early next year.

''Countries could agree to move their tours,'' Speed was reported to have said.

''This would be permitted by ICC if it can be achieved without having a flow-on effect for any other tour or ICC event. For the members to agree that there is to be a permanent window in the international schedule, for the IPL, which is a domestic competition, seven full members would need to vote in favour of it,'' the ICC chief said

Speed said the concept would be approved if seven member nations of the ICC approve it. The subcontinent boards were eager to have a six-week gap in the international cricket calendar from next year to allow their players to participate in IPL

If the proposal gets stalled, the future tours program, which schedules international matches for all countries till 2012, would have to be rearranged from early April to mid-May next year when the IPL is played.

Speed told cricketing nations that the schedule of the billion-dollar Twenty20 league should not drive international fixtures. He said there could be a few problems in rearranging scheduled tour games around and reminded ICC members that barring the money from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), there would be no income for them from the tournament.

''International cricket is the lifeblood of the ICC members. Apart from India, they do not receive any financial reward from the IPL,'' Speed said.