Stewart backs calls for IPL cut-off date

Surrey director of cricket Alec Stewart has backed calls for a cut-off date to be allocated for county players to join the Indian Premier League (IPL).
Surrey’s early season plans for the County Championship were thrown into disarray when seamer Tom Curran was called up by the Kolkata Knight Riders as an injury replacement for Australia’s Mitchell Starc.
Fellow English side Yorkshire also suffered a similar fate when Liam Plunkett and David Willey were also late additions to squads in India as injury replacements.
In an article published on ESPNCricinfo, Stewart said: “It’s far from ideal losing Tom so late. I hope in time this will be looked at.
“The IPL is not going anywhere – I fully understand players wanting to be part of it because, one, it’s a good competition and, second, it helps your bank balance.
“The problem is when you get the phone calls I got for Tom, and Martyn Moxon [Yorkshire’s director of cricket] got for Willey and Plunkett. Your planning goes out of the window.”
The IPL overlaps with the start of the English domestic season making it far from ideal for England internationals to take part in the lucrative event.
However, while Stewart says players will become better by playing in the tournament there needs to be clear lines on who actually own the players as they are under contract with their counties.
Stewart continued: “Tom will come back a better player so I don’t have a real issue with it, but the issue is who controls the players – are they our players or are they IPL players?
“They are under contract [to the counties] for 12 months, so I would argue they are ours. We should have more control than just saying ‘I guess you are going then’.”
Latest
-
England
Jos Buttler admits he needs to find his rhythm as England lose to South Africa
The hosts won the second ODI by five wickets to clinch the series in Bloemfontein.
-
South Africa
Temba Bavuma hits hundred as South Africa secure ODI series win over England
The Proteas chased down 343 at Bloemfontein to go 2-0 up in the three-match series.
-
England
Jos Buttler and Harry Brook give England hope of levelling ODI series
England reached 342 for seven against South Africa, with Buttler making 94 and Brook 80.
-
England
Jason Roy was never ready to ‘roll over’ despite year of setbacks and low points
Roy has for so long been England’s pacesetter at the top of the order but lost his place in the side.
-
England
England batter Jason Roy emotional after return to form in South Africa defeat
Roy’s slump with the bat led to him being dropped ahead of England’s T20 World Cup-winning campaign last year.
-
England
Jofra Archer will ‘get better and better’ but England batting needs more bite
Archer took one for 81 on a hot and sunny afternoon in Bloemfontein.
-
England
England beaten by South Africa in first ODI despite blistering Jason Roy century
Roy scored 113 off just 91 balls but South Africa ran out winners by 27 runs.
-
Women's Cricket
England reach Women’s Under-19 T20 World Cup final after winning thriller
With Australia 96 for nine chasing 100, the England captain trapped Maggie Clark lbw to send her side through to face India in the final.
-
England
Jofra Archer toils for little reward as South Africa set England 299 to win ODI
Archer believes he is at about “80 per cent” fitness so some rust was inevitable.
-
Women's Cricket
Women’s T20 World Cup in South Africa to have all-female match officials
Three match referees and 10 umpires will form the 13-strong team.