England are considering a subtle shift in priority so that winning the Ashes and leading one-day events is put before reaching the No 1 position in the ICC rankings. The implication is that important players could miss series against weaker opponents to keep them fresh for more significant contests.

Although ICC rules dictate that countries must field their best teams for its tournaments, such as the World Cup, this does not apply to Test series. One example could be Andrew Flintoff missing matches against Zimbabwe — if they return to the Test fold — in 2009 before the games against Australia that summer.

PCB's plan

Karachi: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Saturday announced that it would launch its franchised version of the Champions League Twenty20 cricket in October next year.

PCB chairman Dr Nasim Ashraf said the Pakistan Premier League (PPL), featuring six teams, would be launched immediately after the ICC Champions Trophy to be hosted in the country.

ACA support

Melbourne: Australian Cricketers Association (ACA) has thrown its support behind the lucrative new Champions League despite initially voicing concerns.

“We see this competition as a terrific opportunity for state cricketers,” said Paul Marsh, chief executive of the association.