American Premier League wants Hadlee to be a board member

Wellington, Apr.24 (ANI): New Zealand cricket legend Sir Richard Hadlee has been approached to be an executive board member of an American Premier League (APL) cricket tournament, but is waiting on formal approval before accepting.

According to a New Zealand Press Association report, players from the rebel Indian Cricket League (ICL) and some big names from the sport's past have been invited to take part in an as-yet unauthorised Twenty20 tournament in New York in October.

Jay Mir, president and CEO of American Sports And Entertainment Group, said the tournament, to be called the American Premier League, had signed up players from the major cricket nations with the majority coming from the ICL.

Mir said Hadlee had signed up as an executive board member.

Hadlee, however, said he was waiting to see whether the APL tournament receives official blessing before making a final decision.

Mir said former England spin bowler John Emburey, a coach in the ICL, had agreed to be coach of a "Premium World" team in the competition with ex-West Indies captain Richie Richardson coaching a Caribbean XI.

The "Premium World" team would be made up of players from England, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and Sri Lanka, said Mir, declining to name any of those contracted.

But the sport's governing body, the International Cricket Council (ICC), which had not recognised the ICL, warned its members against taking part in an event which had not yet received endorsement from the USA Cricket Association. (ANI)