Brian Lara’s links with the Indian Cricket League (ICL) have eliminated the batting maestro from joining the Trinidad and Tobago team in any capacity for the inaugural Twenty20 Champions League in India September 22-October 5.

Brian Lara

The Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board (TTCB) had raised the possibility of including the 40-year-old Lara, the West Indies leading scorer in Tests and ODIs, as either coach or player/coach.

But the Trinidad Guardian newspaper reported yesterday that the organisers of the tournament had informed the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board TCCB that, like anyone with connections to the ICL, Lara was ineligible for the Champions League.

Lara played in the first season of the ICL which the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) ruled to be an unauthorised tournament after it subsequently established the official Indian Premier League (IPL) in 2008.

The Champions League is sponsored by the BCCI and features the 12 winners of domestic Twenty20 tournaments from seven countries – Australia, England, India, New Zealand, South Africa, Sri Lanka and West Indies.

Trinidad and Tobago qualified as West Indies representatives on the strength of winning the regional Stanford 20/20 tournament in 2008.
The Guardian reported that contracts and incentives for the players and officials to the tournament had finally been settled between the West Indies Players’ Association (WIPA) and the TTCB.

It cited “a reliable source close to the TTCB” as stating that the 15 players and the TTCB would share the appearance fees equally, a sum of US$250,000 each. Any prize money would also be equally shared between the players and three team officials and the TTCB.
According to the Guardian, the official Trinidad and Tobago party would number 23, to be headed by  TTCB president Deryck Murray, the former West Indies wicket-keeper and vice-captain.

Batsman Daren Ganga will captain the team that is expected to be named today.