Ricky Ponting

Melbourne: Australian captain Ricky Ponting has warned cricket boards from showing leniency towards players joining the ICL or they might run the risk of losing a lot of international players to its money lure.

With rumours of some current New Zealand players also joining the breakaway league after Pakistanis Mohammed Yousuf and Abdul Razzaq, Ponting said, it was turning out to be dangerous preposition for international cricket.

“I am a bit more concerned this week with the new signings. Going back, there was no one who said they had signed. There was talk of (Glenn) McGrath and (Shane) Warne. It looks as though the Pakistanis and a few of the New Zealanders have signed as well,” Ponting said.

“The danger is that it attracts the guys who are playing international cricket at the moment. If it is only attracting guys who are retired then it won’t affect us whatsoever. There has been talk of attracting younger players, but those players will only be India-based,” he told an Australian newspaper.

Ponting wondered how cricket boards could be lenient towards players joining the ICL, which has.

“The concern I have is how lenient the boards are with the players.”

Rumours were rife that senior New Zealand players Stephen Fleming, Chris Harris, Chris Bond, Nathan Astle and Chris Cairns have been approached to join the ICL.

“The amount of money I heard being thrown around for the ICL is big money for a month’s cricket.

“The boards have to get very proactive and make sure they are getting something in place, otherwise they will run the risk of losing a lot of international players, particularly those who are coming towards the end of their careers and maybe some of the ones on the fringe” he said.