Sports Minister invites BCCI to register as NSF

STAFF WRITER 18:14 HRS IST

New Delhi, Feb 1 (PTI) Sports Minister Ajay Maken today sought to strike a cordial note with the BCCI by inviting the Cricket Board to register itself as a national sport federation (NSF) with the ministry.

Top BCCI officials, who have been at loggerheads with the ministry over the registration issue, met the sports minister here yesterday.

Maken said he had a good discussion with the board officials, who understood his point of view.

"I had a good discussion with the cricket board officials whom I advised to register the entity as a national sports federation. I welcomed them to come and register as NSF and leave all the acrimony behind.

"The meeting was held in a very cordial environment and both parties listened to each other's concerns. They understood what I tried to say and hope this matter will get resolved soon," Maken told a press conference here.

Ganguly, Jaffer can still look forward to playing in IPL 4

Mumbai, Jan 31 (PTI): Hopes of playing in the fourth edition of the Indian Premier League still float for former India skipper Sourav Ganguly and Wasim Jaffer with the T20 League''s governing council calling for a meeting here on February 4 to decide on the unsold players' fate.

No franchise had showed interest in purchasing Ganguly at his base price of USD 400,000 during the auction on January 8 and 9.

The likes of Jaffer and VRV Singh were also among those who were shunned by the franchises. "A governing council meeting called on February 4 would discuss the issue of unsold players like Ganguly. Kochi has expressed interest to purchase him outside the auction and the IPL has asked the franchises about their views on the issue," reliable sources said.

The IPL, in a letter to all the franchises, has said that a request has been received from franchises that subject to them having sufficient balance on the salary cap to pay at least the reserve price of the relevant player, they should have the opportunity to sign unsold Indian players from the auction.

The letter from IPL CEO Sundar Raman further said "the auction regulations were clear that players not taken in the auction could only play in IPL 2011 as replacement players. Before the Governing Council deliberates on this issue, I wanted to get your view on this issue and if your franchise is agreeable to: a) Permit franchise to buy any unsold Indian players from the auction; b) The player can be bought only at his reserve price".

Raman has said franchisees should send their views a day before the GC meeting.