LARA

PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC:

FIVE WEST Indian cricketers - other than former captain Brian Lara - have been approached by the Indian Cricket League (ICL) to take part in their inaugural season.

This was revealed by a source close to the West Indies team on Wednesday.

"The ICL has approached five players who are currently on the West Indies team to play in their league," the source said.

"Contracts from the ICL were offered to all and the players are currently looking at the offer."

The source was, however, quick to add that the players have not yet made a decision as to whether they will take up the offer.

It is understood that the Essel Group, the owners of the league, has offered between US$350,000 and US$500,000 to the players as inducement to join the ICL.

Top name players

The ICL has attracted many top name players from around the world and one of the first players to sign was Lara. Last week, it was revealed that Pakistanis Abdul Razzaq, Inzamam-ul-Haq and Mohammad Yousuf have all taken up offers to play in the three-week long Twenty20-styled tourna-ment. Both the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) have imposed bans on players who take part in the league.

It is understood that the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) has taken no position on the ICL matter because of the fact that no player has approached the regional governing body for approval to participate in the league.

The International Cricket Council (ICC), the sport's world governing body, has thrown its weight behind the BCCI in the latter's stand-off with the ICL.

The ICC noted that the Indian board was the 'only recognised body' to administer the sport in India.