Wednesday 21st January, 2009 13 still need an NOC, which the ECB have the power to withhold. There is another problem. England’s one-day players unlike- Kaka snubs ly to be involved in the early Tests, such as Samit Patel, will be allowed to play IPL until May 10 (the one-dayers against the West Indies start later). That would see them past Modi’s minimum stip- humiliated ulation of four weeks and Nottinghamshire have already given Patel an NOC, though he still needs one from the ECB as well. Such players could quickly become a source of envy, risking dressing-room harmony. Manchester City More complications arise over players on the fringes of playing Simon Pearce, a representative Kevin Pietersen (L) and Andrew Flintoff Test cricket for England, such as of City owner Sheikh Mansour Ravi Bopara. It is not inconceiv- bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and Garry able that Bopara could be in the Cook, the club’s executive chair- Test team come May, but the IPL man, had earlier travelled to auction, and therefore the con- Milan to meet Kaka’s father Bosco England Test tracts with the franchises, are Leite and outline their vision. An finalised next month. How can unprecedented salary of £500,000 the ECB hand him an NOC, not a week was also on offer. knowing if he will be involved in However, reports that Kaka felt stars face wait the Tests? “cold and unimpressed” by the Similarly, with next year’s IPL City offer proved accurate and the dates yet to be finalised, how can club later admitted that the deal NOCs that must hold good for two was dead. “Manchester City has for IPL booty years, be given now? They can- terminated its discussions with not, which is why the ECB have AC Milan over the possible trans- by Derek Pringle must report back by noon on also decided that any player seek- fer of the player Kaka,” said a April 25. Morris, not unreason- ing IPL involvement must return statement. Kevin Pietersen and Andrew ably, wants them to play in the at least 10 full days prior to the “Following a meeting in Milan Flintoff leave for the West Indies round of championship matches first day of any England match today, the club felt that it was on Wednesday knowing that any preceding the opening Test for which he has been selected. unlikely that the two parties Indian Premier League riches against the West Indies on May 6. Which means that while early- could reach common ground for may have to wait another two There is a problem though season Tests and one-day interna- an agreement. The discussions years, after the England and even before you consider the wis- tionals in this country persist, reached only a preliminary stage Wales Cricket Board refused to dom of squashing this much and the IPL window remains and the player was not involved at broaden their two-week window cricket in. IPL commissioner where it is in the calendar, the any time.” of availability of Test players. Lalit Modi insists that players participation of England’s best Kaka’s decision appeared to Kaka waves his AC Milan shirt to fans outside his apartment in Milan as news The new season of IPL begins who join this season must com- players in the IPL looks limited, have been heavily influenced by a on April 10 and runs until May 24, mit to a two-year deal and play for at best, to the odd cameo. broke that he would not join Manchester City. (AP) co-ordinated outpouring of affec- but in a document sent to the 18 at least a month each year. Under © The Telegraph Group, tion yesterday from the AC Milan by Charlie Caroe first-class counties, Hugh Morris, those conditions there seems no London, 2009 supporters who delivered mes- the managing director of the way that Pietersen and Flintoff, and agencies sages of support to his flat, England and Wales Cricket England’s two most desir- protested outside the club’s head- Manchester City’s Board, makes plain that able players to the fran- After a tense day of high-level quarters and then returned to England’s Test stars will only be chise holders in terms of meetings between Kaka’s repre- unveil banners of appreciation. new billionaire available for 14 days if they are to box-office appeal, can play sentatives and leading officials City will now turn to other tar- earn the No Objection Certificate in the IPL. Even if the from both clubs, AC Milan owner owners were dealt a gets and did complete the £14 mil- from the board that is an IPL players refuse to sign their Silvio Berlusconi, who is also lion signing of Wales captain requirement. central contracts, which Italy’s Prime Minister, took the huge blow on Craig Bellamy on Monday. They Under Morris’s directives, they have yet to do, they extraordinary step of telephon- are also poised to spend £18 mil- Monday night when Pietersen and ing a national television station to lion on the Hamburg midfielder Flintoff, along declare that Kaka was staying. Nigel de Jong and might launch a Kaka, the Brazil with any other “Kaka is Milan and he will stay bid for the Chelsea and England England Test at Milan,” he said. “Money is not and AC Milan for- captain, John Terry. player who might everything to Kaka. He is an “Whilst Manchester City get tapped up, extraordinary boy, exceptional – ward, rejected a Football Club has an obvious an example that should be fol- record breaking interest in world-class players of lowed in sport. He turned down the quality of Kaka, we owe it to the money saying he preferred £107 million trans- our fans that such a transfer must the love of the Milanese people, work on every level: commercial- the friendship of his team-mates. fer to Eastlands. ly, financially, in terms of results He won’t ask for a pay rise. on the field and within “When I heard that he hadn’t Manchester City’s broader com- thought about losing a chance for munity,” said Cook. a higher salary and that he put and fans’ affection above all else, I (C) The Telegraph Group, the values of the club, friendship said, ‘Come on,’ and we hugged.” London, 2009 Tour Down Under Greipel wins first stage ADELAIDE, Australia (AP) - undulating hill country in rural “I feel awesome,” Greipel said. Lance Armstrong contended with South Australia state. “It was hot today and everyone had fierce heat in his first road race in “That was tough, and this is the to suffer, but today was really three years Tuesday,finishing day they said is going to be the easy great.” among the peleton in the first stage day,” Armstrong said. Thousands of spectators lined of the Tour Down Under. Defending tour champion Andre the streets of small towns or stood Temperatures soared to 39 Greipel of Germany won the stage, outside remote farmhouses to cheer degrees Celsius (102 degrees a 140-kilometer (86-mile) ride from as Armstrong passed. Fahrenheit) as Armstrong, among a Norwood to Mawson Lakes north of The six-stage ProTour race ends field of 33 riders, raced through Adelaide, in a bunch sprint. Sunday..