Sydney, April 27 (Inditop) Australian cricketers Jason Gillespie and Damien Martyn, who had joined the rebel Indian Cricket League (ICL), have been signed-up by the American Premier League (APL), the Twenty20 league, that is set to start in New York City in October.
The Sydney Morning Herald reported that APL, the latest Twenty20 league, is being promoted by entrepreneur Jay Mir, who is the president and chief executive of the American Sports and Entertainment Group (ASEG).
The unauthorised league is scheduled to start on a converted baseball field in Staten Island in October, and Mir is targeting players who have retired from international cricket on account or face an uncertain future due to their association with the rebel ICL.
If the APL goes ahead, the Gillespie will represent a Premium World team captained by Martyn, with other players from Australia, New Zealand, England and South Africa in the six-team competition.
“It’s not competing with anyone, it’s about cricket having some recognition in America, which is great for our sport. For me, I’m effectively banned anyway from playing any first-class cricket so the opposition of the International Cricket Council doesn’t affect me in any way,” Gillespie was quoted as saying by the daily.
The APL has also signed-up retired South African batsman Lance Klusener, New Zealander Nathan Astle, Sri Lanka’s Marvan Attapatu and Inzamam-ul-Haq of Pakistan. Other Australian ICL players are believed to be in discussions with the American league.
The ICL struck financial problems earlier this year, and it is believed some players have not been paid for several months.
rounak