ICL will make ICC realise how valuable players are: Gilchrist

Sydney, Aug 28 (UNI) Australian vice-captain Adam Gilchrist feels that the emergence of the much-hyped Indian Cricket League (ICL) will make the ICC and member countries realise ''how valuable the players are''.

The swashbuckling Aussie said, ''Competition in the market place is always healthy. And if that helps establish a better bond between players and their respective boards in the other countries it's great.'' The ICL is at loggerheads with the cricketing establishments in the sub-continent.

But the Oz glovemen does not consider it to be a bad omen for the game and said, ''I don't see it as a particularly bad news story.'' The 32-year-old said, ''It's a delicate scenario. It's making the (world body) ICC and the member countries and administrators realise how valuable this product is and how valuable the players are and they are very aware of that.

''And they are doing all they can to make sure they move with the times and be at the forefront of that market,'' Gilchrist was quoted as saying by the 'Daily Telegraph'.

ICL is making beeline for cricketers around the globe and went on a signing binge much to the embarrassment of their respective boards. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has also not been spared of the exodus, many of its domestic cricketers fall prey to the multi-million dollar league.

Some of the prominent international stars who were snapped up by the ICL were Inzamam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Yousuf, Abdul Razzaq, Imran Farhat, Lance Klusener, Nicky Boje.

Each ICL team will be comprising four internationals players, two Indian stars and eight up-and-coming cricketers with matches to be played across India.

Gilchrist though does not expect any current Oz players to be lured by the competition.

''I can't comment on the other countries, it may be a very different landscape there, but we are very, very well supported by Cricket Australia. There's no doubt about that,'' he said.

''Primarily they (rebel league) seem to be targeting retired players so I don't know of any poaching attempts of current Australian contracted players so I don't think it (player recruitment) is getting to ugly, indecent levels,'' he added.

UNI