Cricket Premier League launched

By Mike Collett

LONDON (Reuters) - A new English Premier League (EPL) cricket competition involving all 18 counties, two overseas teams and international players will start in 2010, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announced on Wednesday.

The proposed EPL, which will be staged in June, follows the multi-million dollar launch of the Indian Premier League which started in April.

There will also be a new Twenty20 League played on Friday and Saturday nights in July and August to replace the current Pro40 competition played on a Sunday.

The new domestic Twenty20 competition will only comprise the 18 counties and not feature any additional overseas players but will serve as the qualifying competition for cricket's Champions League involving top teams from around the world.

Board chairman Giles Clarke told Sky Sports News that it had not yet been decided which overseas teams would be involved, but that it was unlikely they would be either Indian or Pakistani teams as they compete in the Indian Premier League.

"We do not expect the other teams to be Indian or Pakistani. They could be Australia, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, West Indies, who knows?

"The important thing is, it's going to be a very high standard competition, a very exciting competition.

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