IPL team owners enraged after BCCI cuts ties with IMG

High-profile owners of team franchises in the Indian Premier League have reacted furiously to the Indian cricket board’s decision to snap ties with event management company IMG, reports said on Monday.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Saturday terminated its contract with the International Management Group, which helped it launch the lucrative Twenty20 league in 2008.

Business tycoon Mukesh Ambani and Bollywood superstar Shahrukh Khan, both owners of IPL franchisees, have shot off angry letters to the BCCI.

“I am personally shocked at the unilateral decision of doing away with the services of IMG,” the Times of India quoted Ambani, who owns the Mumbai Indians team, as saying in his letter.

“It is also worrying to me that such a significant decision in relation to IPL has been taken without even so much as consulting the franchises.

“I strongly believe that this decision, if taken forward, will destroy substantial value for all the stakeholders, especially the franchises and dilute the success of IPL in the coming years.”

Kolkata Knight Riders owner Khan said IMG had been “an integral part of the tournament management and its success so far” and questioned the logic of the board in ending the deal.

The BCCI had entered into a preliminary agreement with IMG in 2008 to promote and manage IPL’s affairs. IMG was to be paid 10 per cent of the tournament’s gross revenue as commission.

But the board felt the amount was “disproportionate to services rendered”.

Brian Statham inducted into ICC Hall of Fame

Late England pace great Brian Statham was inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame at Old Trafford in Manchester.

Statham’s widow, Audrey, accepted her late husband’s commemorative cap as part of the joint venture between the ICC and the Federation of International Cricketers’ Associations (FICA) on Sunday.

Statham represented England in 70 Test matches taking a total of 252 wickets and was regarded as one of England’s
greatest bowlers. He appeared in 559 first-class matches for Lancashire taking 2,260 wickets in a career that lasted 18
years, the ICC said in a statement.

Statham captained Lancashire from 1965 to 1967 and took 761 of his 2,260 first-class wickets at Old Trafford, and
Lancashire has since named one end of the ground after the former fast bowler.

Statham featured in an England side that included two other Hall of Fames, Fred Trueman and Sir Colin Cowdrey. His
best Test match haul was against South Africa in June 1960 when he took 11-97 at Lord’s.

Statham died in 2000.

Further cap presentations will be made during the course of the year and a limited number of new inductees, in addition to the 55 already chosen, will be named at this year’s ICC Awards.