'National boards should look after players'

A day after Ponting lashed out at tight schedules, ICC said the national boards needed to look after the players.

A day after Australian captain Ricky Ponting lashed out at cricket administrators for "tight playing schedules", an International Cricket Council official on Saturday said the national boards, which were trying to maximise their revenues, also needed "to look after the players".

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"There are some cricketing nations who are looking at maximising their revenues," ICC media manager Brian Murgatroyd, who was part of the four-member ICC team that visited the Sardar Patel stadium at Motera to review arrangements for Champions Trophy, said.

"We cannot prevent them from doing so (maximising revenues). Moreover revenues are important for the growth of cricket. But the member countries (of ICC) have to find a balance between maximising revenues and players", said Murgatroyd, who on Saturday inspected facilities at the stadium which is one of the four venues for ICC Chamipons Trophy tournament to be held in October.

"Ultimately the players are their assests and they need to look after them," he added.

Despite some players objecting to the tight cricketing schedules, there were certain countries like New Zealand and West Indies which wanted to play 'more cricket', he added.