Cricketers back the new plan

As Indian investors wait in the wings to buy stakes in Australian domestic sides, the country's cricketers association today backed the idea, saying it would not just bring in money but also raise the profile of the sport Down Under.

As Indian investors wait in the wings to buy stakes in Australian domestic sides, the country's cricketers association today backed the idea, saying it would not just bring in money but also raise the profile of the sport Down Under.

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"I don't know whether the offers on the table stack up, that is something that Cricket Australia, I'm assuming, is analysing and is putting a recommendation to the board. But if it does stack up, from our perspective, we think cricket should go for it," Australian Cricketers' Association chief Paul Marsh was quoted as saying by 'The Australian Associated Press'.

“In terms of the ownership, that is a Cricket Australia and state association thing," he said.

"We have no issue with it - our players play in the IPL (Indian Premier League) where the teams are privately owned. It's a different sort of landscape than what we have been used to, but it doesn't necessarily mean it's all bad.

"The T20 competition will also lure overseas stars to play for the Australian franchises in a tournament set to replace one-day matches on the January and February cricket calendar," he added.

"The T20 competition will also lure overseas stars to play for the Australian franchises in a tournament set to replace one-day matches on the January and February cricket calendar," he added.and February cricket calendar," he added.