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[TangoWhiskey]

Source: http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/story/713767.html

Ian Bell has risked the displeasure of England's team director Andy Flower by joining Kevin Pietersen as the only regular England Test player to put his name forward for the auction for this season's IPL.

Pietersen's Test career is held to be in doubt with both Flower, the team director, and Alastair Cook failing to pronounce that he is a part of England's "new era" - and the usual mutterings have been heard in some quarters about his passion for playing IPL.

That can hardly be held against him, however, when Bell, often presented as a model of professionalism, has also entered the auction - at a tempting price of only $100,000.

Bell, who was England's most successful batsman against Australia last summer, clearly feels that he can get his Test game into shape without the benefit of early-season Championship matches. As England's season starts with limited-overs cricket against Sri Lanka, it is hard to fault his logic. It is also pertinent to note that he shares the same agents, Mission Sports, with Pietersen.

During negotiations about England's new central contracts, it was agreed in principle that the ECB would be supportive where possible of England players' ambitions to play IPL which legitimises the ambitions of Bell and others to play in the tournament.

That has not stopped England from having meaningful discussions with their best younger players about where their responsibilities should lie. That has resulted in the absence of Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler from the IPL hopefuls.

Both players would have been good IPL acquisitions, but Stokes is at the start of what promises to be a successful and gruelling England career in all three formats and Buttler, whose T20 talents are already known, has ambitions to prove himself in the longer format of the game with strong early-season form with Lancashire.

Stuart Broad, England's T20 captain is another absentee, while Graeme Swann's brief mental dalliance with a season in IPL during his retirement media conference has not translated into action; his retirement now seems confirmed for good with a media career lying in wait.

Arguably the two most aggrieved players in England's list could turn out to be Samit Patel and Alex Hales. The Nottinghamshire pair were released by their county as long as they earned a minimum of $400,000 - an attempt to measure their argument that they could not financially afford to ignore the tournament.

That figure has turned out to be high and has been cut to the auction ceiling of $320,000, but that still leaves Patel, in particular, seeming overpriced. Hales, one of the leading T20 batsmen in the world, should surely sell at that level.

Eleven England players are in the list with Eoin Morgan and Luke Wright looking certain to pick up deals.

England players in IPL auction: Ian Bell (Warks), Ravi Bopara (Essex), Jade Dernbach (Surrey), Alex Hales (Notts), Craig Kieswetter (Somerset), Azhar Mahmood, Dimitri Mascarenhas, Eoin Morgan (Middx), Samit Patel (Notts), Kevin Pietersen (Surrey), Luke Wright (Sussex)

Completely fair in my opinion. Hopefully a couple more will go and that will stop everyone crying about KP taking a pay day.

[smilley792]

The England players on the list for auction

Kp, Ian Bell, Eoin Morgan, Ravi Bopara, Jade Dernbach, Craig Kieswetter, Luke Wright, Dimitri Mascarenhas, Alex Hales and Samit Patel


No more can be added, so no more will be going at this stage.

Not even sure Ian bell will be wanted, like many others before he may go un sold.


Out of that list, I'd say kp, Morgan  wright and hales will go as players. And mascharenas picked as a player/coach.
Kieswetter a maybe.
Rest unsold.

[csnew]

Can't believe samit put himself in the top bracket. He's not that good

Doubt any one will pick Kieswetter, can't play spin
As for luke wright some good bbl performances but still think he's rubbish.

The problem is most coaches are either australian or South African so they select their own. Been like that since the start

Usually Anderson also sticks his name in for fun too.

[Red Ink Cricket]

so if kiesey is picked up then whos keeping for somerset in the early CC games? See Jos if you hung around you would have got a few games under your belt! guess it will be barrow unless we pick up another keeper from somewhere

[mattw]

Can't believe samit put himself in the top bracket. He's not that good

Notts only allowed Hales and Samit to enter the auction if they are in the highest bracket, otherwise they could not be considered for the IPL.

[smilley792]

Good to see that lumb was given the same opportunity by notts, and he said no, would rather concentrate on 4 day cricket thanks.


Get him in the test squad.....

[ppccopener]

Notts have put handcuffs on hales and patel it sounds like-only being entered in the highest bracket restricts their chances of being picked..

I must be missing something here, the England players are allowed to play in the IPL providing it does not clash with International games or preparation-as they are centrally contracted.So if Bell wants to go he can-for a certain amount of time.

the question of how much county cricket Flower wants them to play is tricky but as far as I have read Flower has never said 'no you can't go up for auction'...he may advise them not too,but that's not the same as saying it's 'England only'

Please someone correct me if i'm wrong...

[uknsaunders]

I think this is more a hint at Bell's desire to remain in the one day setup and break into the t20 side. The flipside is t20/odi specialists like Buttler have been told they need to play proper cricket to break into the test team. Different advice and motivations. Hales is nowhere near the test setup so paying t20 in India might help his odi ambitions and ability to play spin. One of England's many weaknesses is playing and scoring against spin so for the right players it would seem a clever move.

I think somebody will have a punt on Bell and use him to hold an innings together.

[Buzz]

I think Bell would be brilliant in this and would be a bargain buy.

[jwebber86]

i reckon bell would do really well. just look at previous traditional batsmen they all still scored heavily in the ipl

[Number 11]

Nothing wrong with professional cricketers following the money, they've been doing it for over 250 years back to the early days of Hambledon and All England.

[biffa]

Think it is time for all English players to go to ipl. The experience of facing the worlds best could be invaluable. Also wouldnt mind seeing more money in the English 20/20 comp to raise the standard...

[Manormanic]

Get him in the test squad.....

Whilst we may be struggling, he didn't even get in the county side last season  - at least not consistently!

[Gerry SA]

I wouldn't be surprised if Bell got a gig TBH.

India are coming to England this summer right?

What better, for India, then sitting Bell on his backside for 6 weeks with very limited batting time

[Manormanic]

Not so much that - as was pointed out above traditional batsmen can score heavily in the IPL due to the lesser standard of bowling employed by most teams...