Malinga confident about his fitness for IPL

Sri Lanka pcaer Lasith Malinga is confident he will be fit for the Indian Premier League campaign.

The 24-year-old has been struggling with a knee injury which ruled him out of Sri Lanka's ongoing tour to the Caribbean, but Malinga reckons he is on track to represent Mumbai Indians in the Twenty20 tournament.

He said: "I am very confident that I will be able to play in the IPL.

"I wasn't sure when I returned from Australia due to the injury which forced me to miss the West Indies trip.

"But I feel fine after working hard on my recovery process and I am looking forward to playing in the IPL."

The IPL gets under way on Friday and runs through to June 1.

Mumbai - whose squad includes two other Sri Lankans in Sanath Jayasuriya and Dilhara Fernando - begin their campaign against Bangalore Royal Challengers on Sunday.

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Ryan Sidebottom would love to play in IPL

England pacer Ryan Sidebottom admits he would love the chance to play in the Indian Premier League.

The star-studded Twenty20 tournament, which begins later this month, has captured the imagination of cricket fans across the world.

India's Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Australian legends Shane Warne and Adam Gilchrist are among the household names taking part, but the England and Wales Cricket Board insist no centrally-contracted players would be allowed to play.

Despite the ECB's stance Sidebottom, the star of England's recent Test series win in New Zealand, is keen to get a taste of the new league.

"If there is a window for the IPL then I would love to play in it, of course," he told BBC Radio Five Live.

"It's down to England and I'm contracted to them. "The calendar is very hectic and to play for England you represent your country and I'm concentrating on that."

England batsman Alastair Cook also believes the IPL is good for the development of the game and is convinced his country will eventually let stars like Sidebottom and Kevin Pietersen play in the competition.

"Issues will be sorted out as to when England players could play in it and if the opportunity arrives to play in it I'm sure people will play," Cook said.

England players may Protest if deprived of IPL

England’s Cricketers Association has expressed serious concern with ECB for not allowing players to participate in the cash rich Indian Premier League, saying the “ridiculous” move can result in a player’s revolt.

England Board Chairman Giles Clarke had said that English players shall not be allowed to participate in the league as the Board does not to want to run the risk of any of its players getting injured or fatigued ahead of what seems to be a extremely busy cricket calender.

“We don’t want them turning up exhausted. The spectators of this country want to know that our players are as fit and as sharp and ready for the Australia series as we can ensure that they are," Clarke said.

Clarke’s comments have clearly upset the PCA, which said the players would go ahead and play in the League if they wanted to and then there would be no stopping them.

“It’s simple human nature that they want to play in the IPL. You can't fight the market. The cricket market has had a significant amount of money going into it and we should be looking to capitalize and develop it, not be King Canute," PCA chief executive Sean Morris was quoted as saying in 'The Daily Telegraph'.

"I cannot see how that is a sensible tactic at a time when, if the players get frustrated or unhappy then, for the first time, they have an alternative involving a significant amount of money," he added.

Bright all rounder Mascarenhas is the only England player to have signed up for IPL. Since he is not a centrally contracted player, he does not require to be permitted by the ECB.

Dashing middle order batsman Kevin Pietersen had also expressed his desire to play in the league but the ECB's stance towards IPL may deprive him of the opportunity.

Morris said in no uncertain terms that if the ECB did not back down from its current policy then a nasty conflict with the players is just waiting to brew.
"What you don't want at this time is friction between the England players and their employers," Morris said.

Former England pacer Andrew Caddick agreed with Morris and opined, irrespective of what the ECB decides, the players would be heading to IPL.

"Somebody may go to the Indian Premier League and back himself to get his England place back. I think that at least one England player shall be involved within 12 months," he said.