Aussies divided on IPL participation
Ricky Ponting ended up having a showdown with the likes of Shane Warne and Adam Gilchrist as Australia's current and former cricketers were split wide open on whether to participate in the Indian Premier League during a security briefing by their players' body.
According to a report in 'The Australian', Ponting and the other Cricket Australia contracted cricketers are not too convinced about the security arrangements in the IPL but those who have retired are keen to go to India.
Matters came to a head during the Australian Cricketers' Association briefing on security in India and Ponting got into an argument with former players.
"There is a split among the freelance former Test cricketers who want to attend and Cricket Australia-contracted players who want everybody to work as one on the issue," a report in the newspaper said.
"It is understood the past players, including Shane Warne, Matthew Hayden and Adam Gilchrist clashed with captain Ricky Ponting during the meeting," the report said.
Aussie cricketers are admittedly jittery about travelling to India for the event following a threat of terror attacks against foreign players. The ACA commissioned an independent security assessment and the report has only added to the fear.
Asked if the players would present a united front whatever be the ACA's final decision, chief executive Paul Marsh said, "That's something we are still working through, it's the way we have operated in the past and I guess we have a couple of weeks to work through that," he said.
