NEWS
OPINION
GALLERY
STATISTICS
INTERVIEWS

Border no to Aus players in English counties

Former Australian captain, and now chief selector Allan Border demanded that the national selectors take steps to ensure that Australian cricketers did not take up assignments on the English county circuit.

Border's diktat follows on news reports that Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne, now in England for the World Cup, are actively negotiating county contracts.

"We'll try to do everything we can to stop it," Border, himself a former Essex star, said.

The chief of Australian selectors argued that such a step was necessary to ensure that the stars did not suffer burnout. "Glenn McGrath, for instance, is such a vital part of the Australian team and they're playing so much cricket now," he said.

Border indicated that the Australian selectors wouldn't mind batsmen having a run on the English circuit -- the call for a ban applies only to bowlers, who are more liable to break down under the strain of cricket 365 days in the year.

As of now, 12 Australians -- including pace bowler Mike Kasprowicz -- are playing on the English circuit.

McGrath, for his part, has argued that since the careers of bowlers were generally shorter than those of batsmen, his tribe should be allowed to make use of whatever money-earning opportunities presented themselves.

Playing through the year might help prolong his career by keeping him continuously fit, McGrath argued.