Elliott signs up for unofficial Twenty20 tournament

Martyn and Kasprowicz join ICL

Cricinfo staff

February 26, 2008

	See you in the ICL: Michael Kasprowicz has signed with the unofficial league © Getty Images

Three former Australian Test players, Damien Martyn, Michael Kasprowicz and Matthew Elliott, have signed up with the unofficial Indian Cricket League (ICL). Kasprowicz, the fast bowler, and Elliott, the opening batsman, retired from the game in Australia earlier this month while Martyn has not played since walking away during the 2006-07 Ashes.

Martyn had reportedly joined the ICL ahead of its inaugural tournament, but didn't take part when it was held late last year. "These high-stature Australian cricketers will definitely boost the quality of cricket and strengthen the teams, making the league showcase competitive cricket," Kapil Dev, the chairman of the ICL, said. "It will provide our young domestic players the challenge to test their skills with some of the best exponents of the game, thus fulfilling one of the key objectives of ICL."

Elliott had indicated he would join the ICL when deciding to stand down at South Australia. "I'm thinking about it," Elliott said. "It's more about what's best for me after my cricket career."

The three will join fellow Australians Stuart Law and Ian Harvey in the league, while Michael Bevan and Steve Rixon are in charge of the Chennai and Hyderabad teams. Jimmy Maher, who will play his last game for Queensland from Friday, and Jason Gillespie, who is expected to retire in the next couple of weeks, are also expected to be chased by the ICL. Any Australians who play in the unofficial Twenty20 event are banned from taking part in domestic competitions at home.

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