Emburey: Be grateful to ICL - Newcastle Journal
[This article first appeared in the Newcastle Journal, 2/7/08]
THE authorities should be thanking the Indian Cricket League for starting a Twenty20 revolution rather than trying to ostracise the likes of Dale Benkenstein, according to former England captain John Emburey.
The Durham skipper is one of a host of players being threatened with a ban from the inaugural Twenty20 Champions League should his county reach it, but Emburey thinks cricket owes a debt of gratitude to the ICL pioneers.
In his own small way the former England off-spinner is doing his bit to promote the game by playing for all-star side Lashings. A family bereavement means the 55-year-old will not be part of the team to face South Northumberland in a 35-over friendly at the South Gosforth club today but having been made a cricketing pariah himself, Emburey sympathises with Benkenstein and co. "If there wasn't an ICL there wouldn't have been an IPL and all the money that comes with it," Emburey pointed out. "It's created a windfall for the players. The ICL spawned the IPL and you have seen the income it has generated, so that will probably be here to stay."
Emburey coached Ahmedabad Rockets in last spring's ICL, where Benkenstein played for Delhi Jets (now Giants) and has been amused by the furore it has caused. He was also the only player on both England rebel tours of South Africa when the country was banned from international sport. But he sees the current situation as very different.
"Touring South Africa probably cost me about 50 Test caps but it's not as though we were earning any money for it then," he recalled. "Nowadays England players are very well rewarded with central contracts so I think the Indian leagues are more appealing to those who've missed out on Test caps. Authorities are sometimes a bit too protective of their own positions."
Since leaving his job as Middlesex's director of cricket in the winter Emburey has had what he describes as his "first summer off since 1971". It has allowed him to watch England as a fan and he is pleased with the side's progression. "We're probably a little bit inconsistent but we're still managing to win, which is really pleasing," he said. "The likes of Andrew Flintoff, Simon Jones and Matthew Hoggard are all pushing the bowlers hard but they've got to get fit first. If they do well the pressure will be on but Anderson, Sidebottom and Broad haven't done a bad job."
One member of England's Ashes-winning pace attack is notable by his absence from that assessment, but Emburey was in no mood to write off Stephen Harmison. "If Steve gets his consistency back he can still have a future at international level," he said.
TODAY'S match, at South North's Roseworth Terrace ground in Gosforth starts at 2.30pm. South North are expecting a sell-out crowd. Tickets are available on the gate costing £7.50.
LASHINGS: Brendan Taylor, Richie Richardson, Rashid Latif, Dinesh Mongia, Chris Harris, Henry Ologna, Nilesh Kulkarni, Tino Best, Mohammed Akram, Ed Giddins, Alvin Kallicharran, Alan Mullally.
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