Oz cricketers body to monitor impact of IPL

Australian Cricketers Association boss Paul Marsh has said that he will monitor television ratings and the popularity of the Test series between Australia and the West Indies, to assess the impact of the Twenty20 revolution on world cricket.

Melbourne, May 13 : Australian Cricketers' Association boss Paul Marsh has said that he will monitor television ratings and the popularity of the Test series between Australia and the West Indies, to assess the impact of the Twenty20 revolution on world cricket.

Australia's Test representatives left the IPL last week to return for a players' camp. They left for the tour last night. The first two-and-a-half Tests of the series will overlap the final stages of the IPL, which will go head-to-head on local television.

"International cricket is a very rapidly changing environment at the moment and we wouldn't be doing our job if we weren't monitoring it," The Australian quoted Marsh, as saying.

"From an Australian perspective, with our top players in the West Indies, we'd expect people would be more interested in the West Indies tour than the IPL. I think it comes down to which players are playing where. I would think that our fans will go wherever our top players are and that's going to be the West Indies. If it worked any other way, it would be a very interesting outcome. It would tell a story about how well the IPL is going," Marsh added.

Marsh said he was surprised by the success of the league. He said it was not just about entertainment, it had quickly gained a parochial aspect and had proved a skilled game.

Marsh said the ACA would soon commission studies into how the new tournament would affect the players' welfare and time management.

"We've said that there needs to be a window for the IPL. If you have a proper window, players can make the choice about whether they do or they don't play. If they don't, they'll get a few weeks off. Depending on what type of player it is, they might want that," he said.

ANI