South African players warned over rebel league

DURBAN, South Africa, Oct 1 (Reuters) Cricket South Africa and the South African Cricketers' Association are headed for confrontation over the breakaway Indian Cricket League.

The chief executive of CSA, Gerald Majola, told Afrikaans-language newspaper Beeld at the weekend that South Africans who played in the planned 20-over competition, which has not been sanctioned by the International Cricket Council, will be banned from the game in their country.

''... once they have played even one game in the ICL tournament, it's over and they will never be allowed to play in South Africa again,'' the paper quoted Majola as saying.

''We view them as rebels. They have joined a breakaway organisation.'' Tony Irish, the chief executive of SACA, said the body was concerned over CSA's stance on the issue.

''We're not happy with a blanket ban on players, and I'll be taking that up with CSA,'' Irish told Reuters today.

''We understand and support the need to honour contracts. If that means getting a release from your franchise then that is what is necessary.

''Often players need to be released from their contracts to go and play county cricket, for example.

''But how long is a blanket ban and what cricket does it apply to? There are a lot of problems with it.'' South African international players Andrew Hall, Nicky Boje, Johan van der Wath and Loots Bosman are among those signed up by the ICL, which is scheduled to launch its inaugural competition in India in November.

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