Players to make tough call on IPL security

Australian, South African and England players are on the horns of a dilemma following the reported findings of a security consultant that their safety at next month's Indian Premier League (IPL) could not be guaranteed.

A report in London's The Times newspaper has claimed that the security report by expert Reg Dickason, compiled at the behest of the international players union, says players' safety cannot be guaranteed and threats issued by a group associated with al-Qaeda last week are credible.

Foreign players will now have to make the difficult call individually about risking life and limb in the tournament for lucrative, previously undreamt-of earnings since they are contracted to IPL franchisees in their personal capacity and not as representatives of their nation's parent body.

Mass withdrawals
Mass withdrawals in the wake of threats by the Shiv Sena and an al-Qaeda related group could rob the tournament's third edition of much of its glamour. It will certainly infuriate franchise owners who will now be hard pushed to buy high-quality replacements for players opting out, who, will also be considered unreliable for future employment.

Apart from jeopardising IPL's efforts to sell two new franchises, each with a reserve price of $US225million, large scale withdrawals could also have a serious flow-on effect on future editions of the tournament, which lost a lot of money as the result of being shifted to South Africa last year because of security concerns following 26/11.

It could also impact October's Commonwealth Games in New Delhi and next year's ODI World Cup.

Australian Cricketers Association chief executive Paul Marsh last night said he had received the report from Dickason but refused to comment on what he would be recommending to the Australian players.